Child of the Void
by Moosegomoo
Summary: Soma could be considered your normal teenager; he's fought with his friends, makes messes, and disagrees with his mother. Needless to say, when he receives a letter that transports him to another dimension, you know that what's in store will be far from normal.
1. Chapter 1: Soma

Drifting in space with no particular direction to go or place to be. Soma spent his current days like this. Aside from the occasional raid for supplies, he just sat alone in his ship. Floating away wasn't always how his life had been. Before he would frequently go on missions with allies to relieve and prevent oppression from the ruling factions. Unfortunately for him, the day of his greatest success was when his isolation began.

Soma was an 'engineer' of sorts. He drafted blueprints and crafted weapons to aid their cause. One day he discovered a way to grant them numerous powers. Through his testing, Soma believed that they would no longer need to fight in groups because one was more than enough to dominate a typical battlefield. With this he knew the Tyrannical Queens could be assassinated, Greed could be decimated, and the Plague that corrupted the system could be eradicated completely. _Peace_ could exist once more.

The Mother disagreed.

"This is unacceptable," she said.

"It would disrupt the balance," she said.

"Do not try anything like this ever again." She said.

She was too late. Soma had already used the augments and the change was irreversible. He chose to leave and prevent any unrest amongst his comrades, hence, how he currently lives.

Mind you, he wasn't running away.

If the Mother wanted to, she could easily locate his ship. If the Mother so desired, she could have him hunted and chased throughout the system. They would obey her orders. Soma would've done the same if the roles were switched, though now things were different. Now he was alone.

Isolation changes you.

Early on he would brood over what he could've done, _should've_ done. He quickly realized the futility of such thoughts. Soma considered trying to find a way to rid himself of the 'curse' embedded within him. If it were removed he could return and fight with them once more, but something inside prevented him from doing so. Soma tried to discern the reason why but could never find the answer.

* * *

 _Orbiting Earth_

At a time like any other it came, like an arrow piercing the surface of still water. Soma could sense it.

He could feel the waves of energy crash over him. Something had ripped through space and stopped far too close to be a coincidence. With haste he enters the navigation room. Upon reaching the main console he pauses. A small white container sits neatly atop the main console; held shut by a circular, red emblem. At first confusion, than disbelief flooded Soma's mind.

 _It couldn't be..._

But sure enough, it was. A quick scan of the area proved as much. This thing before him was what he'd sensed a few moments ago. Soma lifted the small package. It was light, thin, and flimsy. To him it was irrational to make something so weak. Perhaps the design allowed it to be sent easily without breaking and spilling the contents but, from what he could tell, that wasn't the case. Turning it over revealed a strange alien dialect printed across the center. He knew he'd never seen this language before yet somehow he could read it. Put more accurately, it read _itself_ to him. The mess of squiggles and dots projected into his mind two familiar words.

 **To Soma**

As if guided by the voice in his head he flips it over, breaks the seal, and hastily pulls out another sheet of material similar to the container. More symbols cover what he pulled out.

 **Young men and women with extraordinary talent: if you wish to test your gifts potential than cast aside your family, friends, possessions, and world aside and come to the Little Garden.**

Before Soma could react a brilliant flash consumed him.

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **Hi person(s) who've decided to read what I wrote! This first chapter was short because it's really just an introduction to the OC of this fanfic, Soma. The idea for Soma's background was heavily based on a game I've played, so the use of 'Greed', 'Plauge' (both intentionally capitalized) and a few other choice words are there to hint at, but not flat out reveal, what the game is. I apologize if the hints made this chapter a bit confusing, but I intend to reveal where he's from later on in the story.**

 **I considered marking this as a crossover but chose not to for a few reasons:**

 **1) Soma is by no means canon.**

 **2) I don't intend for his past universe to have much impact on the story.**

 **3) I regret writing 'few' because I can only think of the two aforementioned reasons.**

 **That's about all I had to say! This is the first fanfic I've uploaded so I welcome reviews, criticism, and all that stuffs. The next chapter should be up within a week or two just so you know.**

 **~bai!**


	2. Chapter 2: Falling

Falling

A feeling of nostalgia rushed over Soma before he noticed his situation. Quickly regaining himself he identified two possible problems. First and foremost was the distance between him and the ground. More accurately put, the lack of ground. There was a multitude of ways he could protect himself if solid land were beneath, but unfortunately, there wasn't. Instead, a lake covered the earth below. Second issue was the trio falling below him. In descending order; a girl with short brown hair donning some sort of white cape, another female except with long black hair tied together by red ribbon, and a blond boy wearing a strange device over his ears. Under further inspection Soma realized why they were summoned over the lake. The others bodies would be crushed by the force of the fall if rocks were beneath their feet. Satisfied with his analysis of the situation, he stretched his arms and legs out to slow his descent.

"Unbelievable!" The black haired girl was the first to voice their displeasure. "To take me without so much as a word and drop me out of the sky."

"Yeah," The blond boy agreed. "If we'd fallen anywhere else it would've been game over. They shoulda spawned us inside a rock instead." Giving an estranged look the girl pointed out some... 'minor' flaws in his plan, to which the blond just shrugged. "Wouldn't be a problem for me."

"You're a selfish one, aren't you." Both children shared a death glare before proceeding to dry themselves off.

* * *

Now that he was damp as opposed to wet the boy spoke again."I'm just checking, but you guys got the same letter, right?"

"Don't refer to us as _guys_." The girl responded sharply, "My name is Kudou Asuka, and don't you forget it." As she spoke Miss Kudou flourished her long hair, surprisingly dry given the situation they were in only a few minutes ago. "To answer your question, yes. I received a strange letter. What about you, girl with the cat, what's your name?"

"Kasukabe Yo." She answered almost monotone, her eyes never leaving her cat. "Same situation."

"It's nice to meet you Kasukabe-san." Asuka looked upon her through the corner of their eye. "I hope we can get along. Finally," Directing her sight towards the blond, "What's your name, rude and selfish delinquent?"

"Why, thank you for the introduction." A devious grin appeared on his face. "As you can see, I'm the selfish, rude, rash, sadistic and hedonistic delinquent, overall the worst person you'll ever meet, Sakamaki Izayoi." He gave a light bow after his self introduction." But, Ojo-sama, you're wrong about one thing."

"Oh?" She took a step forward to confront Izayoi. "And what would that be?" He pointed seemingly at her and said, "I'm not the last one."

Reluctantly turning from the delinquent, Asuka was met by a pair of sea green eyes. Barely able to resist showing surprise, she looked over the boy before her, his attire 'unique' at best. He wore a hooded unitard with padding on the arms, chest and legs. It was an almost metallic blue color with the exception of a small white floral design on each shoulder. His hair was pure white and swept to the side revealing metal clasps covering the top and bottom of his left ear.

"I am Soma." He said with a small smile, "I believe I received the letter you spoke of." As Soma finished speaking he walked past the other children towards something he saw in the bushes. He'd noticed it as soon as he touched ground and remembered seeing something similar a couple times before. In his old world. The good thing is it wasn't trying to murder them. Instead it seemed to be observing them and, from what Soma could tell, had no intention of harming them.

"Oh?" Izayoi had another grin on his face, "So you noticed too?"

Asuka looked to Izayoi and said,

"I'm surprised a ruffian like you could notice."

"Well of course, I _never_ loose at hide and seek." The two traded looks as if to test each other's wit. "And what about you?" Izayoi's question was directed towards Kasukabe.

"We're down wind." She stated plainly, "I'd know even if I didn't want to." His eyes had a glint of curiosity at her reply. Instead of asking further, Izayoi looked towards Soma who now stood by the tree line.

"We all know you're there so it's best if you come out." At Soma's words a figure timidly leaned out from from behind a tree.

"H-hey," The creature started, only to be interrupted by a loud shout.

"Hurry it up will ya? We ain't got all day." When they flinched back behind the foliage Izayoi let out a heavy sigh. "If you're not coming out on your own, I'll just force you out!" Jumping at least half a dozen meters, the blond boy landed in front of Soma with such force that the earth cracked beneath his feet causing the tree that hid the observer to fall. Soma gave a blank stare while Izayoi smiled back.

The trees absence revealed a girl who was only a few years older then them. She wore an outfit consisting of a long black vest with matching stockings over a short red dress. Her periwinkle hair went down to the hem of her skirt and she'd pass as a human if it weren't for the two long ears protruding from her head.

"What's that?" Asked Asuka, "C-cosplay?"

"N-no!" Replied the girl, "Black Rabbit is not a cosplayer!" Before she could explain further Izayoi was falling on her position once more. With a small shriek Black Rabbit jumped backwards and landed on the tree behind her. Hearing someting else approaching she looked to the right to see Kasukabe leaping towards her through the trees. Without a second thought, Black Rabbit moves to the next tree with Kasukabe in hot pursuit.

"Birds, restrict that girl's movements!" Following Asuka's words, the birds that were scared from their perches grouped around Black Rabbit, swarming her in mid air.

"H-hey, stop," Black Rabbit soon lost her momentum and helplessly plummeted to the ground. She braced herself for impact when a pair of arms cushioned her fall. Black Rabbit opened her eyes to see Soma had caught her. She began to thank him but before she could finish he placed her on the ground and took a step back. Black Rabbit was confused before she noticed the reason why. A nervous laugh escaped her when she turned to the other three children, all looking down on her with demeaning glares.

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **Apologies for the delay but apparently, the new thing to do when you're mad is take things from me. I was only able to finish this by leaching off others, so thanks others!**

 **This chapter was rushed so I could just get something out and will probably be revised in (what's hopefully the near) future.**

 **Till next time,**

 **~Bai!**

 **Edit: _I did tweaks._**


	3. Chapter 3: Black Rabbit

"What the hell is this?" Asked Izayoi as he stared down the thing on the ground in front of him.

"A rabbit-person?" Offered Asuka, but the thought had already run through his mind.

"Now, now," Black Rabbit slowly backed away as she spoke, fearing what they may do to her. "P-please calm down you thre-AAAH!" She was right to fear. Her sentence was cut off by her own yelp when Yo casually walked up and grabbed an ear. A light blush came across the perpetrator's cheeks as she tugged a few times. "W-w-w-w-what are you doing! If it's only a touch I might let you, but why are you trying to pull out Black Rabbit's lovely ears on our first meeting!?"

"Curiosity."

"Oh, these things are real?"

"Let me see then..." When Kasukabe released, both Izayoi and Asuka claimed an ear. They took turns tugging, pulling Black Rabbit back and forth. She tried to protest but her words became an incomprehensible mess, ending with a scream.

* * *

"I can't believe this," Black Rabbit was on hands and knees catching her breath. Almost an hour and a half had passed since they came and she finally got the three problem children to calm down. She considered including Soma as a problem child but, while the others ran amok, he just stood by and watched. Black Rabbit gave him the benefit of the doubt, for her sanity if nothing else. "This must be the lack of discipline I've been hearing about these days..."

"Can we get on with this?" Black Rabbit sighed. Izayoi was getting restless already. Taking a deep breath, she stood upright and faced the children who were sitting on ground oddly shaped like stairs.

"Welcome to The Little Garden, everyone!" Black Rabbit made a sweeping gesture and Soma could swear he saw sparkles radiating of her.

"The Little Garden?"

"Yes! In order to give you the once in a lifetime chance to participate in Gift Games, we have summoned you to our world!"

"Gift Games?" Black Rabbit nodded to acknowledge Kasubabe's question.

"Althought I'm sure you noticed, you four are not normal human beings." She noticed that Soma reacted to what she said. "Your special abilities are gifts from various deities, demons, spirits, and stars. Simply put, they're blessings. In Gift Games, you will use your blessings and sometimes put them at stake in competitive games! The Little Garden was specifically made for such games!"

Asuka raised her hand,

" _Must_ we put our gifts at stake?"

"Not necessarily. You can wager many things including gifts, money, privileges, property, honor, and people. The more you bet, the more you can gain in return. However, to win the prizes you must meet the requirements that the host sets and win the game."

"Question."

"Yes, Kasukabe-san?"

"What's a host?"

"Hosts are the ones who run and lead the Gift Games."

"Can anyone be a host?"

"Yes, as long as you have a prize to offer. Hosts can be anyone from a deity to a local shop owner and the games can be deadly, grueling challenges to simple prize drawings. So, there are plenty of Gift Games to choose from! However, I'm sure you still have plenty of questions. Allow me to explain with a simple game." Soma heard Izayoi mumble 'What' but Black Rabbit didn't seem to hear. She pulled out a deck of cards and began to idly shuffle. "In this world there are things called 'Communities'. Also known as societies, cliques, or groups. All people in this world _must_ belong to a community. Dare I say it's impossible to survive without a Community." With a snap of her fingers, Black Rabbit summoned a table from thin air that fell to the ground causing Yo and Asuka to flinch. "You know, Black Rabbit wouldn't mind inviting you to her Community, but I need to know you can actually _win_ these Gift Games. Otherwise you'll be totally useless and a burden at best. We'd be better off without you." Izayoi was the first to react.

"So you're gonna test us then?"

"Hold on a second," Asuka stood then continued, "We haven't agreed to anything!"

"Feel free to decline if think you'll loose." said Black Rabbit, giving her smuggest smile. The group easily picked up on the not-so-subtle jab.

"What an interesting way to taunt someone."

"I'm glad you liked it!" Was Black Rabbit's response but, with the compliment coming from Izayoi, she wasn't sure if it was a good thing.

"What are the game's rules then?"

"We'll be using this deck of cards." She spread the cards out on the table in an even arc. "Please pick a face card from these fifty-two cards. However, you only get one chance, and one card per person."

"Are we allowed to use any means necessary?"

"As long as you follow the rules! And just to let you know, I have the privileges of a Judge Master, so you can't bend the rules. Black Rabbit's eyes and ears are connected to the Garden's hub."

"What are we betting with? Our Gifts?"

"Because you're all new to the Garden, you don't have to wager anything. But, I suppose this game _does_ put your pride on the line."

"What if we win?"

"Lets see..." Black Rabbit took a second to ponder Kasukabe's question. "I, Black Rabbit, Servant of the gods, will follow one of your orders."

" _Really?_ " She was puzzled for a moment by Izayoi's tone but soon noticed where his eyes were starring.

"B-b-but nothing sexual!" Black Rabbit used her arms to hide her bosom from the lecherous eyes. Yo and Asuka glared at the blond with disgust.

"I'm just kidding." He shrugged off their looks and continued with a more serious tone, "So, what are you three going to do?"

"What to you think?" Asked Asuka, addressing the girl sitting besides her. Without hesitation, Yo nodded with a smile, "Lets do it." All eyes turned towards Soma for his decision.

To be honest, he was skeptical. Choosing a card randomly and hoping the requirements were met would hardly prove anything. It was clear that Black Rabbit was expecting them and who ever summoned them was undoubtedly powerful, so why would their community accept people after such a menial task? There was the possibility, and it's entirely plausible, that this was indeed just to show them the basics, but why risk rejecting them in a match of pure luck? His mind continued to churn, the pieces weren't adding up, but ultimately, he had nothing to loose by participating. Soma gave a nod and said,

"I'll participate"

"Great!" Black Rabbit gave a pleased smile at Soma's response. "Let this game begin!"

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **Hello again reader(s)! Surprised an update came so soon? I certainly am, but a mix of accidental injury and subterfuge gave me some time to type. I originally planned to make this longer (at least to the point when Izayoi decides to run of to take a piss or something) except I was given the wonderful opportunity to end just as "The Game Begins." Hurrays for clichés!**

 **Another thing I'd like to mention, in regards to this story, is that I don't plan on writing scenes Soma isn't in. In all honesty I attribute this to the fact that I'm extremely lazy. If I start typing a couple thousand words every now and again 'just cause', I'll probably begin to loose interest and this will become one of the many fics that seem promising until the author drops off the earth's head and never up dates again. That would be sad, and sad is _not_ good. No worries though; Soma will be in most major scenes, have some new scenes of his own, and the 'no scenes Soma's not in' will only last until where the anime left off. (Yes, I plan on going further than the anime because I've read some of the light novels. Also, in the off chance that you're reading this because of a friend's recommendation and you haven't watched Mondaiji yet, I apologize for the inconvenience (But _SERIOUSLY,_ go watch the anime if you haven't. It's much better than what I write anyway.))**

 **To (sorta) answer a question from Psykotic101: You'll find out later. yup. I haz plans to reveal it in the story so I'm not gonna spoil it in here. Sorry.**

 **I'm done now.**

 **~Bai!**


	4. Chapter 4: Gift Game

_"I'll participate as well."_

 _"Great!" Black Rabbit gave a pleased smile at Soma's response. "Let this game begin!"_

* * *

A flash of light revealed an unfurled scroll that slowly descended into Black Rabbit's hands.

"What's that?"

"This is a Geas Roll. It's a contract for participating in Games." She handed the paper over to Izayoi who held it so the other three could see its contents. "It contains rules and conditions for victory in the Game."

Soma quickly read through the Geas Roll. This game was called 'Recruiting'. To win this game you would need to draw a face card from off the table; only one draw per person.

"Ok, I got it. But first, let me see the cards." Black Rabbit agreed to Izayoi's request and the other children followed suite.

The first one to finish was Soma. It took him seconds to identify what face cards were and that's all the information he needed. Asuka and Yo appeared to be marking cards, while Izayoi thoroughly inspected a couple that he grabbed. Soma assumed the blond was suspicious because how simple the game was. He would share the opinion, but as things stand, Black Rabbit has little to gain by tricking them.

"Soma-san," The boy in question turned his head towards the speaker. "Are you finished?" Black Rabbit gestured towards the table. He nodded in reply. A few minutes later all the children had finished. They stood around the table as Black Rabbit put the cards down again. "Who would like to be first?"

Izayoi glanced at the others and said, "I'll go first." He stepped forward and scanned the cards. "Thanks for the invigorating speech earlier." A nervous smile and babble akin to appreciation escaped Black Rabbit's mouth. This made Izayoi's innate smirk grow even further. "I choose... This one." His palm slammed the table launching cards into the air. Some fluttered down to the ground while most returned to the table. With the front side up. Soma, Yo, and Asuka picked from the now revealed face cards, ignoring the flabbergasted rabbit.

"H-hold on a second! That was-"

"They didn't break any rules. Draw a face card from the table. One draw per person."

"Yes, but..." Her ears twitched once, twice, thrice. Black Rabbit's posture drooped in defeat. "The Garden's hub has approved. Asuka-san, Yo-san, and Soma-san are victorious." The two girls shared a congratulatory high five. "B-but you haven't won yet, Izayoi-san!"

He laughed, "Oi, just who do you think I am?" The boy flipped the card trapped beneath his hand. It was a black king.

"H-how?!"

"I memorized them." The blond's matter-o-fact statement did little to help the rabbit. "I memorized the position of every single card." To emphasize his point, Izayoi listed card names and revealed said cards in order. Black Rabbit's response consisted of an utterly shocked expression paired with some sort of choking noise.

"Not bad," A hint of approval could be heard in Asuka's voice, "But, you put my plan to waste." Yo nodded to backup Asuka's statement.

After a brief apology Izayoi turned back to the rabbit. "Hey, Black Rabbit," His call was able to pull her from her apparent self-loathing.

"Y-yes?"

"You'll do one thing I say, right?"

"I-I said, nothing sexual!" Black Rabbit took a step back and covered herself with an arm, only pushing 'them' up higher.

Izayoi sighed, "As much as I'm tempted to do so, I just want you to answer one question."

Her ears twitched."A-and that would be?"

"Is this world..." He paused to find the best word to use. "Exciting?"

A moment in silence went by before a small smile surfaced. "Yes," Answered Black Rabbit calmly, "Only beings superior to ordinary humans can participate in Gift Games. I can assure you that the Garden is more exciting than the human world!"

* * *

With Izayoi being satisfied, Black Rabbit lead the group on a path through the forest to an enormous structure. The children had first seen it when they were falling from the sky, but even from hundreds of meters off the ground they couldn't have see more than halfway to the other side. When they got close to the entrance, Black Rabbit called and waved to a young boy sitting on a rock just outside the gate.

"Jin-bocchan! I've brought new people!" The curly haired boy looked up and smiled at the approaching group.

"Welcome back Black Rabbit. Those three are the new members?"

"Yes! These-" Black Rabbit stopped and looked back to the children confused. "Huh? Three? Where's Izayoi-san?"

"Izayoi-kun? He said ' _I'm gonna see the edge of the world and be right back_ ' then ran off in that direction." Asuka pointed back into the forest.

"...Eh? Why didn't you stop him!?"

"Because he said ' _Don't stop me'._ "

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"He said ' _Don't tell Black Rabbit'._ "

"That's a lie. It must be a lie. You just didn't want to bother, didn't you!"

Both Asuka and Yo gave a brief and blunt 'yes', causing Black Rabbit to fall to her knees. Only an hour ago she was excitedly awaiting the new members, but now...

Soma, who had been silently watching their exchange, noticed that the 'Jin' boy's face paled when Asuka indicated which direction Izayoi went. "Is there danger in that direction?"

"Y-yes!" Stuttered Jin, after realizing Soma was talking to him. "Many Mythical Beasts use the Edge of the World for the sake of Gift Games."

"Mythical Beasts?" Asked Asuka, she never heard the term before.

"Yes, Mythical Beast is a term used for beasts that posses special gifts. In particular, near the Edge of the World there are some with powerful Gifts. Once you meet them, no human can hope oppose them! Black Rabbit, if he gets tricked into a Gift Game..."

"I know." Black Rabbit lifted herself off the ground, determination in her eyes. "Jin-bocchan, please show these three around until I get back." Her dark hair flushed into a light pink surprising the three new comers . Soma tried to say 'wait' but before he could she lept towards the Edge of the World leaving a dent in the road.

"Rabbits are quite fast in the Little Garden."

"Rabbits are called the Highborn of Little Garden." explained Jin, "She is strong, possessing numerous gifts and special authorities due to her heritage. As long as she doesn't run into any especially powerful Mythical Beasts, she should be f- Hey, where are you going?!"

The last part was directed at Soma who'd started to move away in the direction Black Rabbit went. Luckily for Jin, Soma paused to answer his question.

"I'm stopping Black Rabbit."

"Wha...!?"

"Are you sure you can?" Asked Yo. Soma nodded, replied with a 'yes' and dashed towards the trees. He vanished from their sight as fast as Black Rabbit had, leaving a streak of blue behind him.

Jin was left speechless in awe of Soma's speed. Humans capable of matching Black Rabbit were few and far between. If the other children were like him, thought the young leader, maybe it will be possible to achieve his goals.

"Well, as Black Rabbit said, are you going to show us around?"

"Em, ah, yes." He stuttered to the apparently unfazed Asuka. Jin lightly cleared his throat before introducing himself, "I am Jin Russel, the leader if this community. I became 11 years old recently and am still very inexperienced. Lets get along from now on. Your names are?"

"I am Kudou Asuka, and the one holding the cat is,"

"Kasukabe Yo."

With the introductions finished, Jin led the two children into the Little Garden.

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **This should have been out at least a month ago... but it wasn't. I was going to type a fair bit further into the story but after a whopping pace of a sentence or two per week it just wasn't worth it. My schedule as of late has consisted of way to many social encounters including camping, college stuff, sleepovers, and even... even _sports_. Not only that, my free time has been dominated by Skyrim and Overwatch which we all know is SUPER important...**

 **Now story related things! So I took the time to read further into Mondaiji (Yeah, I haven't read through it yet. Don't even have access to all of it but, I'm working on it.) and found that some of the changes I planned to make do very bad things to the plot. As a result, I won't type past Argol until I can rework my plans. Technically I could go on with what I have but, the probability of an immovable object appearing is high and unfortunately, I'm not an unstoppable force so it wouldn't even be a good experiment. Also, don't be surprised If I rework/retype/reorganize what I've already posted because I've found it to be less than satisfactory.**

 **In other news type things, I am probably going to start up a new fic in the near future about Sword Art Online. By 'new' I mean something I've worked on over the past couple years and by 'near future' I mean within the next six months...**

 **~Bai!**


	5. Chapter 5: Water God

_How did he get this far?_

It had been a full thirty minutes since she left the others in Jin's care and Black Rabbit still hadn't caught up to Izayoi.

At first she thought of how she'd scold the problem child. How she'd prove that a rabbit of the little garden was not to be looked down upon. But as time went on, the cool forest air rushing by sapped her anger and bitterness away. Soon her mind settled on a worrisome 'what if'.

 _What if Izayoi challenges a god to a Gift Game?_

Given his personality it may not be a matter of if he will, but when. There's no way a human could defeat a god on their own. These things take years of preparation so Black Rabbit had to find him before he accepts a gift game.

As she lands her latest jump, the ground shook nearly knocking her off balance. Two huge columns of water rose above the trees.

 _It can't be..._

* * *

He didn't make it in time. If asked, Soma would blame the terrain. He'd never seen a forest packed so densely with small trees before today. On the Earth he knew, there were enormous, towering trees that crushed most attempts at colonization. Instead of running along roots and whatever exposed ground there was, he had to constantly dodge trunks, duck under branches, and take care to not trip on these roots. Naturally there were alternatives Soma could have chosen to progress much faster, however, they most definitely would cause varying amounts of damage to the forest. Soma restricted himself to one ability.

Feeling slightly dejected from his failure, Soma came up behind Black Rabbit who was currently talking to Izayoi. He could instantly tell that they weren't alone. Behind a wall of water, behind Izayoi, Soma could sense a fairly imposing being.

Standing: _Enemy_

"I was worried that you'd be participating in a god's Gift Game! Now that I've found-"

"Black Rabbit, back up."

At the sudden inclusion of another voice, Black Rabbit spun around to be surprised by who she saw. "Soma-san! How did you get here!?"

"I followed you." A hint of a smirk grazed his lips. "Back up or you'll get in the way."

As if to emphasize his point, a huge eruption of water revealed a large white serpent. Despite half the body was still hidden under water, it stood 6 times taller than Izayoi.

"THIS TRIAL ISN'T OVER YET, YOU INSOLENT HUMAN!"

"A water god!? How did you make it so angry!?"

"I was minding my own business when this asshole showed up _demanding_ me to pick a gift game, so, naturally I accepted."

"You what!"

Izayoi laughed,

"Relax, he's just mad I beat 'm without any fuss."

"SO NAIVE, PUNY HUMAN. DO YOU REALLY THINK I COULD BE DEFEATED SO EASILY?" A powerful gale began to whirl, forcing water droplets into the air. Black Rabbit began to panic.

"Izayoi get out of there!"

"What are you talking about Black Rabbit?" Izayoi turned to give her an incredulous look, " You're the one who needs to get back. _I'm_ the one who picked the fight and he wants to finish it. Interfere and I'll crush you first." The long eared companion was taken aback by how serious he was. She wanted to say more, but ultimately didn't. The Game had already started so there's nothing she could do.

"I APPLAUD YOUR SPIRIT. IF YOU WITHSTAND THE BLOW FROM MY NEXT ATTACK, ILL GIVE YOU THE VICTORY." While not ecstatic, Black Rabbit was definitely pleased. Even though Izayoi was still in a very dangerous position, his arrogance may have just saved him.

"What are you talking about?" Once again her hope was obliterated be the rowdy teen. "A fight doesn't end when you pick the victor. It's over when the looser is decided."

Izayoi's words infuriated the god. They decided to show mercy and in return they were mocked? Unforgivable. "THOSE ARE THE LAST WORDS YOU'LL EVER SPEAK, IMPUDENT HUMAN!" Using it's affinity over water, the god conjured three swirling pillars of water that converged into a mini hurricane. The trees in the surrounding area twisted and bent under the pressure of the wind.

Soma, who was formerly under the trees, walked out towards the battlefield after branches began to snap off the trees. He wasn't as interested in the battle as much as he was its participants. First off there was the water god, however, Soma was confused by the creature's title of 'God'. Sure, it wasn't weak by any stretch but to be called a god? Once upon a time, his kind had been revered as gods by some throughout the origin system, but that time had passed. Soma had fought an old god before, one of "immortal flesh", but the liquid snake paled in comparison. What exactly makes you a god?

Izayoi let out a loud laugh. "This ain't over yet!" He charged forward and punched the hurricane, instantly vaporizing it. The god recoiled in shock,

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

Izayoi jumped so he was face to face with the god.

"Well," he said smirkingly, "you were pretty good for a water worm." With a single kick the fight was ended. The serpents body fell, hitting the water, splashing the victor. Izayoi cursed when he felt the cold water soaking through his clothes. It was the second time that day and he wasn't too keen on getting drenched.

Soma watched as Izayoi wiped the liquids from his clothes. He was intrigued by the being called Izayoi. Usually, Soma could detect general strengths and weaknesses of all living things, but he couldn't get any readings off of Izayoi. It was as if the blonde was dead or nonexistent, but 'nothing' wouldn't be able to knockout that serpent with a single blow. To some a logical leap may be that Izayoi is a golem, zombie, or even a cyborg, but Soma had dealt with creations similar to these and knew he could read them. There was something strange about the teen and Soma was anxious to find out what it was.

"Hey," Having shaken off most of the water, Izayoi approached Soma who nodded in acknowledgment. They stood, both looking at Black Rabbit as she hopped over to the fallen god. "You two must be fast if you caught up so soon." A small smile slipped onto Soma's face.

"And you're surprisingly decent for a human." The blond made a choking sound and turned to the brunette. He'd pegged Soma as a silent type, so the backhanded compliment caught him off guard. Before Izayoi could respond Black Rabbit returned with an item in hand.

"Look at what we got as a reward from the water god you defeated!" She held out some type of plant.

"What is that?" Asked Izayoi, "Some kind of twig?"

"No!" She scolded, but her attitude quickly reverted to its happier form. "It's a water tree sapling. With this we won't have to buy water from other communities anymore!"

"Hmm. Since I've made you so happy Black Rabbit, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure! You can ask any question you want." Black Rabbit was so captivated by the sapling they'd obtained she didn't notice Izayoi's expression.

"Then why don't you tell me the real reason you summoned us here." Her cheery attitude seemed to run dry.

"W-what are you talking about?" Both boys could tell she was trying to avoid the question. "I invited you so can have fun and live here-"

"Cut the crap. At first I thought it was just goodwill. Maybe even a joke, but now you just seem desperate." Her eyes began to falter as Izayoi continued. "This could be just a hunch, but isn't Black Rabbit's Community powerless or declining- something like that. You hid that fact so we would join and save your Community."

Soma thought something was strange about the arrangement, and with Izayoi's explanation the pieces fell into place. Black Rabbit was so willing to let them join because she had nothing to loose. Their summoning was probably a favor, not a prize since her Community is weak. Seeing how desperate she must be, this favor probably expended lots of time and resources to obtain, and won't be easily regained. Izayoi, Asuka, Yo, and himself may be the last hope for Black Rabbit's Community.

"Your silence tells me every thing. Keeping quiet at this point will only make it worse." said Izayoi who was running out of patience,"Or would you be fine with me finding another Community?"

"N-no! Please wait a second!"

"What to you think I'm doing? Just tell me everything."

Black Rabbit watched Izayoi walk over and sit on a nearby rock. She didn't like hiding the truth about her Community from them but she couldn't risk it. There was no way anyone would want to join in a situation that seemed as hopeless as theirs.

"If you don't explain the state of your Community I won't join." Soma's words struck Black Rabbit hard. If she wanted a chance at either of them joining she would have to tell them.

Black Rabbit took a deep breath in preparation for what she was about to say. She just hoped Jin was having better luck with the girls.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes**_

 **I could go on about how I've been busy with school but that would mostly be a lie, so I won't.**

 **I'm not quite sure why but it's been really hard to get my self to type this story. It's not even that I don't know what to type because I've prewritten a lot of what happens from now till Argol. It's literally just the act of typing it onto the internet that's been taking forever.**

 **My laziness aside, a holiday break is coming up so hopefully I'll be able to finish up the next chapter then.**

 **~Bai!**

 **p.s. I was surprised by how many people were interested in this story. If you feel inclined to do so, please leave a review with your thoughts!**


	6. Chapter 6: No Names

If there was one thing Soma realized during his time in the last universe it was to be wary of others. From the beginning Soma was pulled into the heat of conflict without choice. His allies and enemies were decided in an instant. As years went by many rose and fell, but the ending was all that mattered.

Exile

Soma didn't want history to repeat its self. An education of Black Rabbit's Community's past seemed like a step in the right direction, so he listened closely to her words.

She said her Community is weak, confirming Izayoi's suspicions. A being called a Demon Lord challenged her Community to a Gift Game. It won and stripped her Community of its members and possessions. This left Black Rabbit to care for a hundred or so children, and only the boy Soma had met was strong enough to participate in any Gift Games.

The Demon Lord also took the name and emblem of the Community, subjecting them to ridicule and distrust as "No Names". Izayoi asked why their Community didn't restart under a new name and banner. It would alleviate the stigma of being No Names and they could've began recruiting newer, more capable members. Black Rabbit admitted that restarting would've helped them greatly, but she and the children decided to keep the Community together so their members taken by the Demon Lord had a place to return to.

"We know we took the harder road, but we all hope to reclaim what we lost from the Demon Lord. There was no choice but to summon people such as yourselves. Please lend your strength to our Community!" Black Rabbit bowed deeply and prayed for the best.

"Hmm, pride and companions from a Demon Lord," Izayoi's tone was flat and uninterested. Black Rabbit visibly drooped, matching her hope's current state. She didn't doubt the abilities of Soma and the girls, she experienced some of them first-hand, but after seeing Izayoi singlehandedly beat a god it was depressing if he didn't join. There was no one to blame but herself. If only she hadn't underestimated him then maybe-

"I'm in," It took Black Rabbit a few seconds to comprehend Izayoi's statement.

"H-huh?"

"Don't 'huh' me, you should try acting happier Black Rabbit." The blond's signature grin reappeared, "Unless if you're fine with me goin' off to find another Community."

"No! Thank you Izayoi-san, but-"

"But what?" He broke into a fit of laughter. Then, looking back into the forest, his eyes seemed to loose focus. "This sounds like it'll be fun."

"Fun?"

"Yes, fun. In my old world, my predecessors went on many fun adventures, leaving none that suited me. I thought this world might have some something for me. That's why I came here." He gestured towards the waterfalls besides him, "I thought it would be fun." Black Rabbit slowly nodded, thinking through what Izayoi said. She suddenly realized she was forgetting someone.

"Ah, Soma-san!" She looked over to the forgotten teen who hadn't moved since the conversation began."Will you-" The Rabbit would've finished her sentence but Soma already nodded, accepting the invitation. She was beaming as she cheered and pumped her fist in the air. "It's getting late, so we should start heading back." Izayoi stood up, cleared his throat and said,

"Before that,"

"Yes, Izayoi-san?"

"You summoned us here and I agreed to help you, but don't think I'll help you persuade the other two. You can trick them if you want, for all I care. I just don't want to deal any petty drama, especially if we're supposed to play together as a team." Black Rabbit looked towards Soma, possibly for his opinion. She was met with a blank stare before he turned away.

Black Rabbit's gaze fell from guilt and shame. Maybe she thought subterfuge would work because they were such problem children. Regardless of the reason, she was clearly in the wrong. Even Izayoi recognized that lies would strain their future trust and cooperation.

When they got back to town, Black Rabbit resolved to tell the girls the truth.

* * *

"You what?!" Black Rabbit was screaming because Jin told her what happened while she was away.

"How could you pick a fight with Fores Garo?"

""He pissed us off so we picked a fight with him. We have no regrets."" Black Rabbit was seething with anger. It was obvious the two girls rehearsed their reply. Couldn't they at least _try_ to be less... problematic?

Izayoi, who was watching the whole ordeal, decided to step in.

"Relax Black Rabbit. It's not like they did it just for the hell of it." In turn she glared at the boy who fought a god 'for fun'. He did have a point though. Black Rabbit had heard of Fores Garo's decline, but to resort to kidnapping and killing children... An atrocity no matter how you looked at it.

"Even so-"

"I'm sorry Black Rabbit." This time it was Jin who spoke. "I should've stopped them, but... I just couldn't forgive what he did." After a long pause Black Rabbit let out a sigh.

There was no way she could stay mad at Jin under the circumstances. If any of their members were kidnapped, let alone killed, it would be a devastatingly sad burden to bear for all the children.

"Oh well, what's done is done. Besides," She added with a small smile, "With Izayoi on our side we're sure to win." Asuka and Izayoi shared a glance.

"What are you talking about Black Rabbit? I'm not gonna play in this Gift Game."

"Huh?"

"Good, It seems that we agree for once."

"Wait! You guys are in the same Community now, you have to learn to work together!"

"It's not that." Izayoi's tone became serious. "They picked the fight and the other guy accepted. It would be rude for me to intervene."

"Oh my, you really do understand."

"But of course," The blond gave a mock bow.

Black Rabbit, on the other hand, nearly fell over. Her day had been an emotional roller-coaster and it was taking it's toll. "Fine, just do what you want."

"Um, Black Rabbit," The timid voice belonged to Jin. "should we start heading back now?"

"You should go ahead and tell the others to get ready. Because the Game is tomorrow, I want to get their gifts appraised by Thousand Eyes."

"What's Thousand Eyes? A Community?"

"Correct, Izayoi-san. Thousand Eyes is a group of Communities that each possess a certain type of 'Eye'. They are a massive mercantile Community that knows all about the upper and lower floors."

"And what is this _appraisal_ you speak of?" Asuka seemed to have an aversion for the word.

"Getting your gift appraised will tell you the origins or hidden powers of your gifts. Knowing more about your gifts lets you unlock it's full potential. Don't you all want to have your gifts appraised?" Rather then reply, the four children stood in silence, each with their own thoughts.

Soma didn't really care either way. He felt that he already had a fair understanding of his ability and potential. It only took a few years, a betrayal, and a near death experience...

In the end, no one had any objections so the group, minus Jin, headed towards Thousand Eyes.

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **I've been/am sick. Not the good kind of sick either. The bad kind :(**

 **Its been that way since my school break started. As a result, I was only able to type half much as I wanted to. Not to mention, my main focus as on my Sword Art Online fic (remember I said within six months? more on that later). Most of this chapter was written by a tired and sick person so if you see any glaring mistakes please let me know.**

 **The only thing I can think of worth noting is the stupid (not to mention improper) tl;dr thing. I don't remember typing it. All I know is that I was rereading what I typed, saw it, thought "wut", and bolded it thinking I'd change it later. Later is now.**

 ***tl;dr= too long; didn't read. What actually happened is a guy called Galdo Gasper kidnapped children to force others to work for him. Little did they know that he killed all the children and did something with the bodies (The story never specifies. I assume he ate them).**

 **So now SAO stuff, right? In having typed a decent amount of what I had for that fic, I noticed something. The beginning is kinda boring. Instead of giving you a reason to fall asleep (at least I did while typing it), I choose to delay for a revamp! Aww yea!**

 **So.. yeah. Don't expect an SAO fic from me in the near future.**

 **That aside, I've got another fan fiction with the first chapter done! Yay! I won't tell you what it is though. I realized that the most probable reason for why I'm not getting better is that I'm staying up too late typing this stuff. That also may be why I fell asleep while typing sao... oops. I'll upload the chapter to my newest fic when I get better and can start typing again.**

 **And, um... review stuffs.**

 **To ARSLOTHES and matrience: Thanks!**

 **OperaEagle IcelynLancelett:** **I thank you as well. So** **rry for the slow updates. Also, his may be a minor spoiler but... Soma can do amazing things :P**

 **Jack vile Ripper:** **Don't we all?**

 **I'm tired now. time to sleep.**

 **~Bai**

 **Edit: _I removed the tl;dr thing. RIP_**


	7. Chaper 7: Thousand Eyes

The group of problem children followed Black Rabbit through the town. They all looked around, absorbing their new environment. The one who was most interested was Soma. He'd never seen anything like it before. The buildings, the people, the streets, it was all very new to him.

"Cherry blossoms?" Soma could only assume Asuka was referring to the pink petals that were cascading from the trees alongside the road. "It must be spring in this world. In my world it was late summer."

"Mine was in autumn," The two girls looked at each other in mild confusion.

"You have all been summoned from different worlds." said Black Rabbit, "There should be a difference, not only in time period, but in history and culture as well."

"So, something like parallel worlds?" asked Izayoi knowingly.

"That's close, but it's actually called the Rings of Intersecting Concurrent Worlds." The Rabbit stopped walking and turned to the group. "But explaining that would take a while, so lets put that off until another time."

They'd stopped in front of a store with a blue banner decorated by two silhouettes. Assumably, it was the banner of Thousand Eyes. A woman in a apron who appeared to be affiliated with the shop was taking down a sign. "Oh, please wai-"

"Waiting won't happen, dear customer. We don't do business after hours." Black Rabbit was shut down before finishing her question. She glared at the shopkeeper who had made a point of ignoring her and returned to their duties.

Soma, on the other hand, was enamored with the information he'd heard. He was always more of an intellectual type and learning that there were multiple worlds excited him. While world can refer to individual planets he was certain it was referring to sets of existences. Soma had done extensive research of parallel dimensions, but to know there was even more excited him.

Based on the conversation the others had, Kasukabe and Kudo where probably from the past. Soma heard that the system used to tell time originated from earth. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter were included, but they held little meaning to anyone in his time. Apparently, they're related to plant growth.

Meanwhile, Black Rabbit seemed to be making progress with the clerk. They acknowledged her status as a High Born of the Little Garden and decided that their actions were rude.

"If you would give me the name of your Community, I'll ask the manager if I can let you in."

"Thank you, we-" The Rabbit froze. They didn't actually _have_ a name.

"We're no names." Said Izayoi haphazardly.

"Oh?" Their eyes narrowed for an instant. "Then do you have an emblem I could show?"

This time Izayoi kept quiet. He'd speculated earlier that a community without a name or banner would be discriminated against. Even if the shop keeper decided to trust them, you won't have a penny to your name if you dont _have_ a name. There'd be no reason to let them into the shop if they have no money.

"Um, well..." Black Rabbit spoke in a voice very small and fractured. "You see, we don't have a ban-"

"Yahooooo! It's been a while, Black Rabbit!" A white haired girl's voice cut through the somber tone. She also body slammed Black Rabbit with enough force to send them both into an aqueduct at the opposite side of the street. Izayoi smirked when he saw the shopkeeper wince.

"Hey shopkeep, does this place have a service for surprising people? By all means, try something on me."

"There is none."

"I'll pay for it if you make one."

"I won't." Somewhere along the line, Izayoi decided he seriously wanted to be surprised. Sadly, the clerk had decided moments ago that she'd never do anything of the sort.

"Sh-Shiroyasha-sama!? Why are you here!?"

"A thought a certain rabbit might be coming around soon! Hohohohoho! Nothing beats the sensation of Black Rabbit's fur!"

Things were touched.

"Shi-Shiroyasha, what are you-" Then Black Rabbit snapped. Could you really blame her? She'd been physically abused and emotionally strained multiple times by the people who would supposedly help her Community prosper. "Get off of me!"

Shiroyasha was grabbed by the face and thrown back towards the shop. She would have hit the pavement if Izayoi hadn't decided to preform a 'Flying Loli Kick'. "Hey!" She exclaims despite just taking a foot to the chest, "Who do you think you are, stopping a beautiful young lady flying towards you with your foot!?"

"Izayoi-sama." He said whilst looking down at the girl. "It's nice to meet ya, Japanese clad loli." The blond broke into a fit of laughter, possibly at the strange turn of events.

Asuka on the otherhand, was just plain confused. Never before had she seen such a beautifully executed 'Flying Loli Kick'. Not that she saw them very frequently or at all before then. To cure her confusion she went over the most recent events in her head and remembered something important. "You just came from that shop, yes?"

"Yes I did. I am Shiroyasha-sama, one of the leaders of Thousand Eyes. If you have a job related request I'll happily oblige, if only for a touch of your amply developed-"

"Manager," The apron lady interrupted, "We won't profit that way. The boss would get angry."

At some point Black Rabbit had pulled herself onto dry land. Upon seeing this, Shiroyasha ended her idle chatter. "Why don't you all follow me inside? It's much better than standing around out here."

"But Manager, the regulations-" She was interrupted by her superior's raised hand.

"If anything bad happens I'll take responsibility. You're dismissed." With those parting words, the loli walked into the building followed by four kids and a rabbit.

* * *

Because the shop was closed, Shiroyasha brought the guests into her personal room. It was stylized much like a traditional Japanese room equip with its own incense, sword, and cushions. The black kimono she wore matched the theme of the room perfectly.

"Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Shiroyasha, leader of Thousand Eyes from the fourth gate, number 3345. I have a little history with Black Rabbit. Please think of me as the beautiful girl who has been helping ever since the collapse of her Community." Yo, who's sat on the end besides Soma, tilted her head.

"What is the gate?"

"It's the gate at the outer walls used to indicate the Little Garden's levels, one through seven. The lower the number, the stronger it's inhabitants are." Black Rabbit went on to eloquently describe the structure of the Little Garden.

"... An onion?"

"No, I'd say it's more like a baumkuchen."

"I would have to agree, it's shape is much more like a baumkuchen."

Black Rabbit's shoulders drooped in exasperation when they nodded in agreement. Why were those three so blunt? The only one exempt from her observation was Soma, but he didn't know what the others were talking about.

Shiroyasha erupted with laughter. "What a fine comparison! Although, you have to remember there is land around the world's edge that's outside the seventh gate's walls. Those living there aren't apart of any Community and possess special gifts; for example, the water tree you have there." Using an intricate paper fan to hide her smile she asked,

"So who won and in what type of game? A competition of knowledge? Or perhaps a test of courage?"

"Nope!" Black Rabbit smiled as she made a gesture towards the blond besides her and said, "Izayoi beat the god barehanded before coming here!" Shiroyasha's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"What!? He didn't clear a game, but instead beat her head on!? Then this child must be a prodigy carrying Divinity!"

"No, I don't think so. You would be able to tell at a glance if he had Divinity."

"Hm, I guess you're right." Her tone shifted from shocked to dubious. "But to defeat someone with Divinity you must have Divinity of equal standing. That, or the power gap could be decreased by difference of race, but humans are like _acorns_ to snakes." Shiroyasha milled over every possibility in her head, but couldn't think of a reason why that boy would win in a contest of strength.

"Shiroyasha-sama, were you acquainted with the snake god?"

"Acquainted? I'm the one who granted them Divinity!" She puffed her less than adequate chest. "But that's a story from some hundred years ago."

"Hmm," Izayoi's eyes had a dangerous gleam. "So you're stronger than the snake?"

"Of course, I'm the eastern Floor Master. No one in the eastern fourth gate and below can even compare to me. I am the strongest Host after all."

Strongest Host

At this the blond's excitement was matched by Kudo and Kasukabe. "If we were to beat you,"

"We'll be the strongest?"

"If you _were_ to beat me than yes, you could claim my title."

"Well that simplifies things." Izayoi raises to his feet, soon followed by two others.

"Ah! What do you three think you're doing!?"

"It's fine Black Rabbit. I was getting bored anyway." And with that, the voice of reason was squelched.

"You," The host's eyes landed on the only seated child. "You've been silent. Do you have anything to say?"

Soma was confused. He wasn't sure if there was anything specific Shiroyasha wanted him to say. With the amount of new discoveries and ideas he'd learned in only the past few hours, Soma's mental capacity was dwindling. All he could say is what he knew. What he knew for certain is what he could see. Gradually, he constructed his thoughts into sentences.

"It will be best if we don't engage in combat. I doubt all of us would survive. However, if they wish for combat I will participate."

Shiroyasha hummed, followed by a low chuckle. She pulled a card that depicted the Thousand Eyes symbol and said, "Very well then! We'll see if it's a challenge or duel you desire!"

A flash similar to the one that teleported The children shone. The light dissipated in time for them to see the walls shatter into what seemed like windows to dozens of other worlds; through one was a warm field of wheat waving in the wind, and another contained the expanse of a galaxy but still maintained the emptiness of space. With just a glance they were sucked into the world behind the glass. When they tried to look around the scene disappeared and they were pulled into the next.

Suddenly, everything went black.

When light returned the party found themselves standing atop a frozen lake. There were trees littered around the ice, and in the distance was a mountain. It would also become evident in a short while that the sun was revolving horizontally.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself." The floor master's voice pulled the children out of their stupor. "I am the Demon Lord of the White Night, celestial spirit of the sun and white night, Shiroyasha. I'll ask again. Do you wish to be challenged, or fight an equal footed duel?"

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **Yo.**

 **I had spring break so I made sure to type/write at least a little each day. I originally planned to go until they got to see their new home, but screw my plans. It was decided within depths of my mind that I wouldn't go _too_ much longer than my other chapters, and were nearly 2k even without my rant at the end.**

 **Note to you (yes, I do know you're there): the chapters will probably begin to grow in length. Because I takes me so long type/write a chapter, I don't foresee any issues with extending the length.**

 **Also, a few of you (at least one of you) may be wondering there the chapter for my new fic is. The answer is quite simple. As I sit here with a mild headache, a box of tissues, and a bowl of barbeque potato chips I have every reason to believe I'm sick. Not that I've been sick _per se_ this entire time. I've just had headaches and bowel issues off and on. I guess the germs finally decided to stop putzing around and took a stand.**

 **Reviewing person thingies!**

 **Jack vile Ripper: Thank you for the kind words! I guarantee you'll at least see the names of what Soma's gifts are in the next chapter (for the fifth time I've typed 'Chapter'(just did it again) as 'Chaper'...). You may be seeing an original scene with Soma in the next chapter as well, assuming I actually follow my plans.**

 **The final thing I have to say is it may take a while (even longer than in the past) for me to get the next part out. My main reason is that I got a PS4. (and I wanna play dang nabit!) Another, far lesser reason, is a project that if I don't do decently on I might actually fail English. So, I might want to do that too...**

 **That's just about it I think.**

 **Oh, I also made a beautiful picture for my profile. A picture for this fic will be coming a some point.**

 **~Bai!**


	8. Chaper 8: Griffin

With arms crossed, Izayoi evaluated the situation. A supposed god of gods and Demon Lord with the ability to instantly transform their enviornment. Judging by her name, likely to have control over the moon and possibly the sun.

The great Sakamaki Izayoi could feel a cold sweat collect on his back. Nevertheless, he smirked.

"I see... representing yourself well here, Demon of the White Night."

"Well of course, this is my game board after all."

"What? Everything here is just a game board!?" Asuka's voice lacked its typical tone of superiority.

"Yes, this is but one of the many boards I possess. Now, it's rude to keep a lady waiting. Do you want a duel or a challenge?" Shiroyasha could see the hesitation Asuka and Yo bared. Her sight shifted to the two boys. Soma seemed to be lost, starting into the star less sky. Even though his face didn't show it, she could tell he was as amazed as the others. The blond, on the other hand, looked directly at her.

"Well, ya got me." He said with his arms raised in surrender. Shiroyasha didn't buy it.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Look, you've shown me this much already. I guess I can let you challenge me."

Not missing the snark in his remark, she laughed.

"And you two?"

"I'm okay with that."

"Same as her."

"Jeez," Black Rabbit's voice more exasperated than angry. "New comers picking a fight with the Floor Master and the Floor Master accepting? That's bad even as a joke! And Shiroyasha-sama, you being a Demon Lord was something from some thousand years ago."

"Oh, is that so?" A grin betrayed her words.

"Yes! Yes it is!"

"Details, details. Anyway, your challenge should arrive shortly." Cued by her words, a cry from the distant mountain demanded their attention.

As it flew closer, Soma noticed the creature's strange body structure. Two large feathered wings atop the body of a strong quadruped. He though it was strange the creature was able to stay airborne. Logically speaking, flight should be impossible. It's wingspan, about five meters in length, was no where near large enough to support the bodyweight. Speed could makeup for its lack of size, however, they flapped only once per second.

"A griffin!"

Of course, he could be wrong. Maybe it was far lighter than he estimated. Maybe it had some form of engine that he couldn't see. Both counter arguments seemed ludicrous before a possibility dawned on him.

Soma realized _he_ was inadequate. The others knew what cards were. They all understood summer and fall. They agreed that the Little Garden could be compared to a baumkuchen.

His knowledge was extremely limited if not non-existent on all those subjects. It was an undeniable fact that he was behind. In his past world, Soma had an encyclopedic knowledge of everything. Now all that work, all that time spent, may be useless. His first priority became gathering information.

"I'll do it." Kasukabe's declaration brought Soma back into reality. The creature had landed infront of them. Apparently it's a being classified as a griffin.

"Fine, you can have this one. Just don't lose."

"Good luck, Kasukabe-san."

"I'll do my best."

Her eyes locked with Soma's and they both nodded in sync. Taking a deep breath, she steps forward and introduces herself.

"H-hello, I'm Kasukabe Yo. It's nice to meet you." The griffin jerked back in surprise.

"Oh... So she talks to the griffin."

Both beauty and beast stood, staring at one another.

"I'll bet my life." Asuka and Black Rabbit froze. "If I fall from you and live, you can have me for dinner. Is that okay?"

"What are you saying!?"

"Are you serious, Kasukabe-san?!"

"Stand down, you two. She proposed this her self." Shiroyasha's intensity was followed Izayoi comment,

"Yeah guys, stop the unsightly stuff."

"To let her play in such a game-"

"Black Rabbit, I'll be fine." She nodded to show confidence, but her lack of emotion made it seem hopeless.

Accepting her conditions, the griffin lowered its self and Yo climbed a board.

"Are you ready Kasukabe-kun?"

"Yes,"

A burst of wind signaled the griffin's ascent. The others shielded their eyes, but Soma stood unaffected.

"Do you think she'll be fine?" Asuka's sentiment was shared by the others.

"With how fast they're goin' the air pressure's gotta crazy." Izayoi made a gamble and was right. "Well, either way, it's up to her now."

* * *

The griffin realized too late that the little girl had an amazing power stored within her.

"I've always wanted to ride a griffin."

But for her to say such things now...

"Very well," A deep, dignified voice rang in Kasukabe's mind. "defeat me in this challenge to prove you're mettle."

Swoop, zigzag, spin.

He did anything he could to shake her off, but her grip remained steady. For the griffin's final gambit he flew as high as he could. It would be a dive to the finish line.

* * *

"There she is!"

The competitors could be seen rising through the cloudless sky. Entering into a stoop, their speed doubled. Tripled. Before long they blew past, Yo being declared the winner.

"She did it! Kasu-"

She fell. Kasukabe's conscious slipped when the griffin pulled up from his dive.

Black Rabbit sprang into action, but Izayoi stopped her. She tried to pull away.

"What are you doing Izayoi-san!" His grip remained tight.

"Just wait for a bit." Izayoi's eyes looked like a boy watching fireworks for the first time. All Black Rabbit could see was an important comrade falling to their death.

And then there was light. A flash came from Kasukabe's chest. Her body righted its self and slowed its decent as she regained consciousness. She walked on nothing. Elegantly, each step bringing her closer to the ground.

Soma realized she was walking on air. Gasses compressed underneath her feet to make a step, allowing her to descend safely. Everyone but Izayoi was shocked by Kasukabe's new found power. It wasn't long before she landed.

"I was right. Your Gift lets you take the powers of other creatures."

"...Not true. It's proof that we're friends. How did you know?"

"Just a guess." The smiling Izayoi gave his two cents. "You said earlier you sensed Black Rabbit because she was 'up wind'. No human can do that. That's why your gift isn't just talking with animals, it's using the gifts of other creatures... Is what I thought, but is there anything on earth that can take that speed?" Looking away, Kasukabe crouched to catch the cat who ran into her arms.

"I'm alright." She said, stroking her furry companion, "My cloths are wrinkled but that's all."

"Well done, this is your win. By the way..." The floor master couldn't contain her curiosity. "Would you mind if I ask about your gift? Was it inherited?

"No. It's from a wood carving my father made."

"Wood carving? Can I take a look?"

Nodding, Yo took out a round wooden pendant.

"Such an intricate design. Is there meaning behind it?" Asuka and Izayoi both took a peek.

"There is, but I forgot it."

"Well that's helpful." Izayoi took the pendant and inspected both sides along with Shiroyasha and Black Rabbit.

"The material is a sacred camphor tree. It doesn't appear to have any leftover divinity... A geometric outline that converges towards a blank center..." Shiroyasha seemed to know the most about the object, probably due to her experience as part of Thousand Eyes. "Did your father have a biologist acquaintance?

"Yeah. My mom was."

"Shiroyasha-sama, doesn't that mean this is a genealogical tree?"

"Most likely. The figure and converging circle...!" A look of awe graced the former Demon Lord. "This... this is amazing! It's truly amazing! If this is really man-made your father is a super genius of the age of gods! To think a human could make a genealogical tree! One that grants a Gift no less!"

"Is it really that amazing?"

"Yes! This can be called an Index of Life without exageration! I'll even buy it if you let me, name your price!"

"You can't." Kasukabe quickly snatched her trinket from the raging manic.

"So what is the power of her gift Shiroyasha-sama?"

"I'm not sure." Answered Shiroyasha, bummed Kasukabe wouldn't give up her pendant. "As far as I can tell, it lets her speak to other species and allows her to use the unique gifts they posses. Anything beyond that and you'd have to get it appraised by someone from a shop. On top of that, they'd have to be from the higher Floors."

"Eh!? Shiroyasha-sama can't appraise it? We wanted to request an appraisal today."

"Oh, a gift appraisal of all things... That's not my specialty. You could even say it's unrelated to me." She tugged her hair in a troubled manner. "Hmm... Can you children tell me what you know about your gifts?"

"It's a corporate secret"

"The same as to my right."

"Same as them."

"Everything."

While Soma's answer gave variation, it wasn't any better than the other three.

"I know it can be scary, I was just your opponent, but the conversation won't get anywhere like this."

"I don't need an appraisal. I don't have a hobby of giving values to people." All the other children nodded, agreeing with Izayoi's statement. Soma silently doubted the blond's words.

Shiroyasha hummed at their refusal when an ingenious idea struck her.

"Regardless, I as Host I must award you with a gift. It's a bit excessive, but works as a pre-celebration to your Community's revival."

The god clapped her hands. A shining card appeared infront of each child. Soma and the others grabbed them.

Soma received a black card, Izayoi's was blue, Asuka's red, and Yo's green. The cards were as big as the deck Black Rabbit showed earlier, but instead of numbers and symbols there was writing.

"Gift cards!"

"What's this? A birthday card?"

"A Christmas card?"

"A post card?"

"You're wrong! Gift cards are super valuable and let you store and use gifts! And how are you three so in sync!?"

"So I can put this twig in here?" Izayoi asked, the water tree sapling in one hand and his Gift card in the other.

"Yes, you can. You catch on fast."

"Of course." He replied with a smug look. "My teachers always said I was a quick learner."

Izayoi casually turned his Gift card towards the tree. Fracturing into particles of light, it disappeared into his card. A second line of text appeared beneath the first and read 'Water Tree'.

"Cool. Can I shoot water with this now?"

"Want to try it out?"

"No! Black Rabbit is _absolutely_ against wasting water! Please save it for our Community!"

Shiroyasha couldn't hold her laugh when Izayoi clicked his tongue in annoyance. It had been far too long since she had such amusing company.

"What I gave you is formally called a Piece of Laplace; a fragment of omniscience. What's written on your gift card is the name of the gift entwined with your soul. Even without an appraisal, you can learn a lot about a gift with just it's name."

"I must be a rare case then."

"Hm? let me see...!"

Sliding over, the god was surprised by the words she saw.

 **Code:Unknown**

It was the first time she'd ever seen something like this. Presumably it meant the Piece of Laplace was unable to read Izayoi's gift, but that didn't make sense. Omniscience not knowing was contradiction at its finest.

'Interesting' was the best way Shiroyasha could describe it.

"Shiroyasha,"

"Refer to me as Shiroyasha-sama. What is it boy?"

The who spoke to her was Soma. Izayoi had since migrated to converse with the others in their group.

"...Shiroyasha-sama, will you let me return to ask you questions?"

"Why do you wish to question me?"

Soma seemed to be the quietest of the group so there must be a good reason why he wanted to talk.

"I feel like I lack knowledge I should have. I'm willing to compensate for your time with anything you choose."

"Anything I choose? Don't you think that's a bit risky? I'm a former Demon Lord afterall."

Misplaced trust is a dangerous thing. She appreciated he trust but, they'd known each other for less then a day.

"You gave us gift cards to celebrate our prospective revival. Also, you don't have any ill intentions towards us. I doubt you would do anything that hinders that goal."

"Oh? Very well then." She noted the use of 'also' with a smirk. "Come back tomorrow at the same time. I'll have thought of compensation by then."

Soma thanked her and they both made their way to the others. Unbeknownst to Soma, Shiroyasha already had something in mind. She'd caught a glimpse of Soma's gift card and was amazed by the sheer amount of gifts he already had. There was one in particular that intrigued her.

 **Void Child**

* * *

Black Rabbit wanted to get back before night fall, so they left shorty after. It was a thirty minute walk before they stopped infront of another gate.

"This is our Community. We've still a ways to go before reaching our base, so please wait a bit longer. There's still traces of the battle here..."

"Battle? You mean the one with the so wonderfully named Demon Lord?"

"Y-yes."

It was unsettling to Black Rabbit that Izayoi seemed to hold the most evil being in The Little Garden with such high esteme. Hesitantly, she opened the door of the gate. A gust of dry, dusty wind blew through, forcing three of the children to cover their eyes.

Soma was the first to see the destruction. He could only stare in awe at the scars the battle left behind. It wasn't the amount of destruction that amazed him. It's how it was destroyed.

The blond was the first to step into the crumbling ruins. He touched a wooden post and it faded into dust.

"Black Rabbit... How many _hundreds_ of years ago was your gift game with the Demon Lord?"

"It was only three years ago."

Izayoi knew it couldn't have been more then a decade, but he wanted to make a point.

"Well that's sure interesting. Are you telling me this whole town was weathered in three years?"

Even without an answer it was obvious. The ground covered in sand, metal warped and rusted, trees degraded into lifeless statues, all in three years.

In Soma's old world, that was impossible.

Spatial manipulation? Okay.

Immortality? Sure.

Mass obliteration? Of course!

The only thing he knew to cause such damage was time. It wasn't even three years as Izayoi said. They were looking at the _scars_ of the battle. This was how it looked when the Demon Lord won.

They continued down the path marked by the remnants of civilization.

"There's no animals... They didn't come when the people left?"

Black Rabbit did her best to not look around. To her, every house was a person she'd never get to see again. In contrast, Izayoi seemed more excited then ever.

"Yes," He muttered, "Yes, this is better than I imagined!"

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **I forgot that after school was over I'd have nothing to do. So.. yeah.**

 **I can't think of much I need to put here this time. The 'Okay, Sure, Of Course' part meant those things existed in his old world. I tried to think of other ways to word it, but none of them had the same effect.**

 **Jack vile Ripper:** **While many stand in awe it's the sum that matters... Sorry :P I play with words.  
Many thanks for _you and your honeyed words_. While I don't think this fic has been given divinity yet, it's only a matter of time... Right?**

 _ **404 Not Found:**_ **Outright saying it is BOOORINGGGG. I'll give you a hint. You can get it on ps4 (Hence why I wanted to play).**

 **I went and edited some happy little accidents from former chapters. If you want to reread them you can, but I didn't change much.**

 **~Bai**


	9. Chaper 9: Territory

As they walked further the buildings were less decayed. Black Rabbit led them up a small hill to a reservoir for use of Izayoi's water tree. The reservoir was enormous with a bridge to a pedestal in the middle. Aqueducts that ran down shallow slopes would have been used to deliver water throughout the No Name's territory. Most ducts were blocked but one that wasn't had children with various tools cleaning out dirt and debris.

"Black Rabbit!" A child exclaimed prompting the rest to rise and swarm.

"Look, look! We cleaned it!"

"Welcome back Black Rabbit!"

"Are they **those** people!?"

"Are they cool and strong!?"

"Yes! They're very strong and charming people! Everyone lineup and I'll introduce them to you."

Black Rabbit snapped her fingers and the children moved into two lines, about ten in each. One thing all the problem children noticed was the animal-like ears on most of the children.

"Okay! So from the right we have Sakamaki Izayoi-san, Kudou Asuka-san, Kasukabe Yo-san, and S... Soma-san. They are all very talented Gift users. As all of you know, those who cannot participate are to support those who can in anyway possible." She then turned to the four Gifted and said, "These ones here are the oldest children. They can't participate in Gift Games, but some have beast-type Gifts! If you need anything done, don't hesitate to ask one of them. Right everyone?"

""""""Let's get along from now on!""""""

"Haha! How lively."

"I-indeed."

The weight of new responsibilities was finally set upon their shoulders.

"Now that you've all been introduced, let's plant that Water Tree! Izayoi-san, please take it out of your gift card so I can put it on the pedestal."

"Okay,"

Kasukabe looked around curiously. "This reservoir is big. Almost like a lake."

"Yes, before we had a Water Tree and Dragon's Pupil, that's why it's so big! Unfortunately, that too was taken by the Demon Lord so the reservoir wont fill completely."

"Dragon's Pupil? Sounds fun, I want one, where can I get it?"

"Hmm, who knows? Black Rabbit wouldn't tell Izayoi-san even if she knew." The blond would definitely run off if he knew where to get one.

"Don't worry about it." Jin diverted the conversation to its previous topic. "Because we blocked all but the channel leading to the main mansion and dorms, there should be more then enough water."

"We had to bring water in buckets before." Said a certain fox-girl, "And half of it would spill before we got back."

"Where from? By chance would it be from that river kilometers back?"

"Yes, Kudou-san." Jin answered her because Black Rabbit was busy preparing the sapling. "We had to draw water twice a day to meet our needs because unfortunately, Black Rabbit isn't allowed to bring water from outside the Little Garden."

"... I see."

"When Black Rabbit unties this ribbon the Water Tree's roots will take hold. Please watch everyone!"

Having pulled the string and leaped away, Black Rabbit turned to see a bit of the Little Garden's magic. Roots unfurled and anchored to the pedestal. The trunk thickened and the branches, well, branched! Water flowed from the roots and gushed from the fruit that hung among the leaves of a now fully grown Water Tree. The younger children oohed and aahed as the reservoir held water.

* * *

"Everyone, lets go back before night fall!"

The little kids cheered as they ran ahead to tell their family all about the newcomers to the Community.

"Black Rabbit,"

"Yes, Soma-san?" Almost naturally the older children broke off into pairs. Izayoi talked to Jin, Asuka conversed with Yo, and Soma stayed in the back with Black Rabbit.

"You said we can ask one thing of you, right?"

"Eh- um, yes! What is your request?" She was hoping they would forget about her promise to do anything, but she lost fair and square... kind of.

"Do you have a codex I could use?"

"Uh... ko-decks? Sorry, Black Rabbit isn't familiar with what that is." Soma nodded and thought of a way to reword his request.

"Do you have anything with information stored in it?"

"Information? You mean like books? We do have a library you're free to use. Jin-bocchan!" After having finished his conversation with Izayoi, Jin let the others pass him until the one who called him caught up.

"What is it Black Rabbit?"

"Could you show Soma-san where the library is? Black Rabbit wants to get the bath ready since the girls really wanted to take one."

"Okay, leave it to me."

* * *

The sky was clear and a cool breeze rustled the leaves on near by trees. Soma laid atop the roof of the children's dorm. Hands pinned beneath his head, one leg up and the other used as an anchor, he gazed at the stars. Prior to this he was in the No Name's library and fortunately all the books were written in the strange language, the one that read itself to him. Unfortunately, books were horrendously inefficient compared to a codex.

Soma took the opportunity to think over the day's events.

He was transported to an entirely new dimension called The Little Garden, A place with many new species and powers.

He joined the No Names, a community dancing on the edge. Soma didn't mind. In the past overcoming insurmountable odds was common place.

He had new comrades; Black Rabbit, Kasukabe Yo, Kudou Asuka, Sakamaki Izayoi, Jin, and over one hundred or so other children.

Black Rabbit: Moon Rabbit - Easily flustered girl with impressive physical ability.

Kasukabe Yo: Human - Blunt but soft spoken girl who inherits abilities from other creatures.

Kudou Asuka: Human - Prideful girl with some form of mind manipulation ability.

Sakamaki Izayoi: ? - Arrogant and hedonistic boy with immense physical strength and an unknown ability that probably cancels other powers.

Jin Russell: Human - The one bearing the title of leader for the No Names.

All of the other children were weak and most of them weren't human. Soma couldn't help but wonder how they were fairing in this enviornment. One without adults.

An explosive sound interrupted Soma's empathetic thoughts.

It appeared that Izayoi would be the one to deal with the intruders. Lifting his leg, Soma slid down the incline of the roof and landed silently. He would have gone unnoticed if Jin hadn't opened the front door.

"Ah!" Jin was surprised when the older boy nearly landed on him. "Wa-er, what was that noise?" Soma was impressed Jin was able to keep calm after an explosion and jump scare duo. He might become a reliable leader after all.

"Sakamaki Izayoi." Soma pointed towards the trees where the intruders were hiding. Jin nodded and ran to confront the blond. Soon after the leader left a swarm of children flooded the main hall. Even though there was only moon light he could see their eyes. They were scared.

He walked in and quietly closed the door. The children moved back to make room for him and he crouched down.

"Hi, I am Soma." He gave an earnest smile and petted the head of a nearby child. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you."

* * *

It was the next day and the Problem Children followed Black Rabbit and Jin to Fores Garo's territory.

"Customers from yesterday! Are you going to your battle right now!?" A cat-eared girl in a pink outfit, Carol Gundark, called out to the passing group. "The Boss told me to cheer you on! We've had enough of them as well. Fores Garo did whatever they pleased, so please teach them a lesson and make them pay for their heinous crimes!

"Yes, that's our intention."

"Ooh! Nice response!" The cat person's cheery facade faded and her voice became a whisper. "Actually, I've something else to tell you. I heard rumors that Fores Garo won't be using their Stage District for this Game. Instead they've chosen to use their Residencial District."

"In the Residential District?"

"Black Rabbit. What exactly is a this 'Stage District'?" Asuka asked.

"Its a district built exclusively for holding Gift Games."

Gift Games: a way to gamble fame, fortune, and honor.

Stage District: a place created to host Gift Games.

Why would Fores Garo hold their game in the Residential District?

"That's not all. They even chased out all the Communities they rule from there!"

"...Hm, that is indeed a stange thing to do." Asuka looked at the others and they all seemed just as puzzled.

Accepting a few more words of encouragement the No Names continued on their way untill they reached their destination.

"Everyone, look! We can see-... Fores Garo?" Black Rabbit doubted her eyes. What was once a Residential District looked more like a jungle. Interlocking canopies of dark wood trees was all they could see over the stone wall.

"... Jungle?"

"Well its a Community where a tiger lives, not that strange really."

"No, this is very strange." Jin corrected, "Fores Garo's Residential District should've been perfectly normal. And these trees..." He reached out and touched an overhanging branch. "These are demonified?" he muttered, "That can't be..."

"Jin-kun, there is a Geass Roll up here." Everyone gathered round the gate where the parchment titled 'Hunting' was held. The more she read the more mortified Black Rabbit became.

"Galdo himself is the win condition... And a designated weapon!?" Both Black Rabbit and Jin began panicking.

"Is this Game that difficult?"

"No, the Game itself is simple. The problem is this rule. Because of it you can't control him! Even Izayoi-san wouldn't be able to scratch him because he's being protected by the Geass. By puting his life on the line he overcame the powers you have!"

"Evening the playing field by risking his life? That sure makes things more interesting." Izayoi said with a shrug.

"How carefree... These terms are quite severe you know. There is not even any mention of what the designated weapon is."

"You'll be okay," Black Rabbit tried to alleviate some of Asuka's worry. "The Geass Roll clearly states a 'designated' weapon. If they fail to give some kind of hint then its an automatic win for us! As long as Black Rabbit is here, they cannot use foul play."

"Don't worry Asuka-san. We have Black Rabbit's assurance and I'll do my best." Yo did a small fist bump to show her enthusiasm.

Asuka smiled at her companions encouragement. "Well, with this great a disadvantage we will surely crush the pride of that monster. Jin-kun, Yo-san, lets go. This scoundrel won't get the better of us."

As the trio passed through the gate the first official Gift Game of the new and improved No Names began.

* * *

A feral roar shook the trees and scared birds from their perches.

"Wh-what a ferocious roar..."

"Kasukabe must've turned into a lion."

"Oh... Wait that can't be true!"

"Right, right. Then it must've been Jin-bocchan."

"Enough with your stupid remarks!" Black Rabbit pulled a large paper fan from her Gift Card and bopped Izayoi's head. They both shot a glance at Soma. He sat atop the cobblestone wall near the gate that lead into Fores Garo's Residential District. Despite their humorous exchange Soma's eyes remained glued on Calico Cat who was tangled in trees roots. It had been a while since the game began and for those not participating there was truly nothing to do but wait.

Izayoi sighed, "Can't we go in and look? Just say we're your assistants or something."

"No, unless its decided before hand thats forbidden." She pointed to her long ears and showed a small smile. "As long as Black Rabbit's ears can graps the situation from here we can't go any closer." The blond clicked his tounge and kicked an unfortunate pile of dirt.

"Noble birth my ass."

"At least say it when Black Rabbit can't hear you!"

Soma pushed off the wall and landed without a sound. He began to walk away when Izayoi called out.

"Hey, where you going?"

"I arranged a meeting with Shiroyasha-sama."

"You got an appointment with Shiroyasha-sama!?" Black Rabbit knew just how busy the Floor Master could be and was shocked that Soma got an appointment on such short notice.

"Then can I come along too?"

Soma stared for a few seconds before he asked, "You don't need to be here when they win?" He overheard Izayoi's parting words to Jin.

 _'If you lose this Game my strategy won't work. If that happens then I leave. Got that Ochibi?'_

Soma assumed the plan was to use the moment of fame after beating Fores Garo to gain reputation. A way to beat the stigma of being No Name. If Izayoi left he might miss that moment.

"Heh," Izayoi's eyes narrowed and smirk widened. "I guess you're right. Have fun then."

"Ah- Say hello to Shiroyasha-sama for me!"

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes**_

 **Mwahahaha. Over the last few months I read all of the Mondaiji things and I can safely say that Soma will be able to fit in nicely.**

 **Epic Powers? Check.  
Arguably troubled background? Check.  
Mythological** **mumbo-jumbo to explain things in a confusing manner? Check!**

 **Yay. The only problem now is how far I'm gonna try to push Soma's character.**

 **Actually now that I think about it, at this pace I'm probably gonna be old and haggardly by the time I finish this story. RIP future me.**

 **FallenAngel231312:** **You're very welcome!**

 **Jack** **vile** **Ripper:** **Even if I wanted to I doubt I'd just abandon this fic.**

 **I'm gonna write the next chaper in present tense because passed tense is a pain. Also, by next chaper there will be edits done that fix spelling mistakes and other things that I thought I fixed but clearly didn't.**

 **~Bai**


	10. Chaper 10: Perseus

Soma stops infront of the shop with a flag of two godesses hanging in the front. Once again there's the shopkeeper with her trusty broom.

"I have an appointment with Shiroyasha-sama." He says when the woman stands in his way.

"You must be mistaken." She states plainly, "It is against protocol to serve those with no name or emblem."

Soma doesn't retort because the shopkeeper's claim is probably true. Instead, he sits on the road infront of the Thousand Eyes shop. After a few pedestrians give estranged glances Miss Shopkeep speaks up.

"I will have to ask you to move. You're bothering our prospective customers." The boy gives no reaction to her request. "Excuse me-"

"I have an appointment with Shiroyasha-sama." Soma abandoned his Community's Gift Game to honor his deal with Shiroyasha. He won't return untill his objective is achieved.

"What's with all the commotion out here? Ah, Soma-kun," Shiroyasha steps out from the shop to see him visitor sprawled on the street. "You came? I heard you had a game with Fores Garo today so I thought you might not come."

"That error was on my part, I don't wish to inconvenience you for my mistake." He stands and straightens himself. "I apologize for disrupting potential customers."

"Hm? Well, that doesn't matter. We'll conduct our business in my room."

"But Manager-"

"I gave him my word. Don't you think it would be bad for a Floor Master such as I to go against their word over something so trivial?"

"I believe you shouldn't make promises that conflict with our policies." The shopkeeper turns away and begins to take down the 'open' sign.

With a sigh the loli signals for Soma to follow. "Don't mind what she says. She's just doing her job after all."

* * *

Shiroyasha knew that Soma was different from the others the moment she saw him. There's an aura about him that's strangely calming. Those less attuned would surely miss it.

Something she didn't expect was Soma to be so clueless when it came to, well, _everything_. He asked for the meaning behind honorifics; san, kun, and sama. He asked about baumkuchen and sakura, though admittedly they're all Japanese in origin so maybe it was a 'localization issue' as some may put it. But then Soma inquired about seasons, time, and how plants grow. That somehow lead into questions on architecture, people, and technology.

By the time his questioning was over the had sun set and Shiroyasha gave a fragmented overview on the society of The Little Garden.

"That is all. Thank you for answering my questions Shiroyasha-sama." Soma bows to show his appreciation.

"Yes, and now, it's compensation time! -Is what I'd like to say," The host begins to stroke an imaginary beard. "But this took longer then I anticipated. If you want, I think it would be best if you come back, maybe tomorrow morning? I have a bit of work but I should be able to squeeze you in then."

Soma opens his mouth to speak but no voice comes out.

 _An enemy is present._

Only those who attack or have ill desires towards Soma and his comrades can be detected as such.

No one from his old world is present. The water god is too large to fit in Thousand Eyes' shop. Its not Shiroyasha's assistant. Fores Garo... Maybe someone from Fores Garo?

With a slam the door slides opens and a man steps in. He's tall, has dirty blond hair, and is equipped with a black choker and ornate boots. Just behind him is the shopkeeper wearing a troubled look.

"I told him you had a visitor..."

"What? It's not like anyone from gate seven could be more important then me."

Shiroyasha expression turns sour. "Laius! Didn't your parents teach you to knock first!?"

"Now, now, thats no way to treat your Community's comrade."

Comrade?

Soma doesn't know why Shiroyasha would be alligned with the man before them. She clearly doesn't like him and he isn't much in terms of power.

"So? What brings the leader of Perseus to disturb me?"

"Hmm?" Laius catches a glimpse of Soma and leans into the door frame as his eyes narrow into a glare. "I think you know already."

A silence falls over the room. Soma rises and bows to Shiroyasha once more.

"Shiroyasha-sama, I will do as you suggested. I look forward to seeing you then." He goes to make his way out but a smug smirk blocks the door.

Ordinarily Soma would cut down opponents in his way, but in his discussion with Shiroyasha he learned killing is forbidden unless a Geass Roll allows it.

"Move."

"What was that?" It's clear he won't comply. "You should learn-" All function in Laius' body stops for an instant. "-your plaaah!"

Without anything to support the weight of Perseus' leader he crashes to the floor. Rage is followed by shock as Laius finds himself in the center of the room, while the kid is in the doorway.

Bowing one final time, Soma takes his leave. He needs to get back as soon as possible.

* * *

As Soma appraches the gate swings open.

"Soma-san!"

"What happened?"

"Uh-You mean with Fores Garo? Asuka-san was-"

An uninjured Asuka comes from behind Black Rabbit so he interrupts. "No, not that then. Has anything else happened?"

A hum and empty smile is the last to walk onto the street. "And how'd you know 'bout that?"

Soma's mouth wordlessly opens and closes as a fist he didn't know was clenched unfurls. Black Rabbit is far too calm for anything terrible to have happened.

...Where is Kasukabe?

"My time with Shiroyasha-sama was interrupted by Laius Perseus. I believe he either had or will act against us but, I guess you already stopped it." The other three exchange looks.

"Actually, Soma-kun.."

With increased strength, senses, and the ability to fly, Yo should have won easily. Instead she was gravely wounded. Asuka was able to kill the beast, securing a victory.

The No Names of the past won many items and weapons, some still in their possession. Yo is currently being supported by one such item.

The former comrade Leticia returned. She was responsible for the demonified trees. She and Izayoi were competing when men from Perseus attacked. They turned Leticia into stone and kidnapped her.

"Why didn't you stop them?" Asks Soma the blond. The Izayoi from earlier that day wouldn't let anyone interrupt a match of his.

"They were just taking back their property." He says with a shrug. "Besides, it'll more fun to take on their organization instead of just a few grunts."

"Hey!" Black Rabbit fumes at Izayoi's response. "If you let Black Rabbit stop them Leticia-sama would be safe!"

"From the sounds of it she was solidified then taken. Would there be a way to free her?" Soma speaks softly, his voice almost a whisper, his sea green eyes staring into space.

"W-well,"

"When you attack you; assure her safety, potentially cure her, and steal from Perseus. Laius will retaliate.

"When you give you; risk her safety, prevent rational retaliation.

"Perseus coming to us could put the children in danger." The sea green eyes lock on to Black Rabbit.

"Izayoi's choice was more correct."

"Black Rabbit didn't think of that..." Although her ears droop Black Rabbit maintains a cheerful tone. "But it's nice to know we have someone as thoughtful as you on our side!"

Soma nods, "When you see Laius coax him into a Gift Game. He should be easy to instigate."

"Does that mean you're not coming Soma-kun?" Asuka picked up on the hidden message in his words.

"Yes, I'll stay here."

"Okay!" A new determination flares in Black Rabbit's eyes. "Don't worry Soma-san! We'll find a way to get Leticia-sama back!" She declares in an animated fashion.

Unsure of what got her so fired up, Soma just nods. Soon the trio goes to confront Perseus leaving Soma to a lonely trek.

* * *

Soma has two reasons to stay behind, the first being to gather information on Perseus. According to Shiroyasha, almost everything in The Little Garden can be tied to a myth or legend, essentially a story or riddle that reveals the true power and strength one possess. With the library of No Name being a treasure trove there's bound to be a book on Perseus. It's just a matter of finding it.

The second reason is just beyond a door near the top of the stairs. Turning the knob and pushing ahead, Soma is greeted by a magical pink glow. Laying atop a bed near a nightstand is an unconscious Yo. On the nightstand is the device Black Rabbit mentioned with tubes and wires connected to a machine that pumps a liquid, shimmering pink when it touches her pale skin.

 _"Nyaa"_

Curled up by its master's legs, Calico Cat stares at Soma in a questioning fashion. The scene makes the child smile just a tad. He pets Calico as an assurance of his friend's safety.

Soma doesn't dare to touch the device because he doesn't know how it works. Working around the pink glow, Soma inspects Yo's condition. Her health is extremely low even though Black Rabbit said she was stabilized. He can't find any injuries on her body so all the damage must have been done to her arm.

 _Renewal_

A vibrant green hue envelopes the three in the room. Calico jumps, suprised by the sudden warm pulse, but it lasts on him only for a second.

Looking over her Soma nods to himself. Yo's health is rising at a steady rate and will be better in no time.

* * *

After a late night most of the No Name elites are still asleep as the sun ascends into the sky. It's breakfast and while the younger children had already eaten, the only elder to show up is Izayoi. This worries the little kitsune chef as she peers into the near empty dining hall. Black Rabbit is never late to breakfast unless she has a job...

"Hey, is the food done yet?" Asks Izayoi to the ears he spies poking into the room.

"Ah-yes," She can't help but feel nervous. Last night she had a hard time sleeping and snuck out for a walk and caught a glimps of Izayoi fighting someone. His strength is cool but kind of scary. Watching didn't help her sleep any, as when she got back to her room she laid for hours just thinking.

"I was waiting for the others to come but..."

"Oh, don't bother. They got in a fight yesterday so give 'em time to cool down."

"Wha-"A fight!? Why were they fighting? Does that mean what she saw last night was Izayoi stopping them?

"Don't worry 'bout that," He says when the girl begins to panic. "They'll be over it soon enough."

"...Okay," She replies in an uncertain tone.

"So, about breakfeast,"

"Yes! Right away," She turns tail, disappearing into the kitchen and returns with a small basket of rolls and a container of some type of jam.

Jam has a long shelf life and can be used to sweeten plenty of dishes. Most ingredients in bread is inexpensive and can last a while if kept dry, the exception being eggs. An exception is easily made for eggs because they are vital for any baked goods and can be eaten standalone for good nutritional value. Izayoi considers praise for Black Rabbit's frugal decisions, but after three years that much should be expected. He takes a piece, lays on some jam and tests the bread.

"Not bad," Reaching for another roll Izayoi strikes up a conversation. "So are you the chef here?"

"Well, the others help me a lot but, Black Rabbit put me in charge of cooking."

The blond hums in acknowledgement, swallowing down another roll. "Is there any kind of food you like making?"

"Hmm... I messed up alot in the beginning, but now making dough is fun! There's a bunch of other stuff I'd like to try and make but we don't have the right ingredients. We used to have lots of gardens... They all got destroyed though."

Glancing out a window, Izayoi abruptly stands from his seat. "Thanks for the food Chef-sama. I can't wait to eat the food you've been dreaming up." He swiftly exits the room leaving the fox-girl on her own.

* * *

It is evening by the time Kasukabe wakes up. She's greeted by a relieved Calico who's brought to tears seeing his best friend conscious again.

"Don't worry, I'm okay now." She says petting her feline friend. After a short talk she removes the device from her arm. She stands to leave and assures Calico for the Nth time that she's fully healed.

Walking out of the room Kasukabe has only one thing in mind.

Foooooood

She follows her nose to a door and on the other side is... baked goods? Opening the door the smell gets stronger making the brunette's mouth water.

"Kasukabe-sama? What are you doing up!" Concern is laced across the fox-girl's face.

"Don't worry. Look, I'm all better." She extends her arm to show its pristine condition, not a mark of any kind.

The girl lets out a sigh of relief. "Black Rabbit-oneesama said not to bother you for a few days because you'd still be hurt. Did you come here for something to eat?"

Yo nods and gives an affirmative hum.

"Well, we still have leftovers from breakfeast. I can whip something up if you don't- eh?" In the instant her back turned away Yo managed to confiscate the leftover rolls and began devouring them.

"Ish tishy," Stoping to swallow she repeats herself, "Its tasty," then proceeds to stuff her face again. Seeing Yo's behavior elicits a giggle from the younger girl.

"I'm glad you like it."

"What are you making?" Hunger still unsatisfied, the predator looks for more prey.

"I, uh... Well, um..." Her ears twitch as she shifts around nervously. "Kasukabe-sama, will you please do me a favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Well, I heard that you guys- ah, not you- but, the others got into an argument. I thought if I made them cookies they'd make up faster so... Can you please deliver the cookies when they're done?" She bows as is customary when making a request.

"... Your name is?"

"My name is lily." She leaves her head down to hide her shame.

 _Why didn't I introduce myself earlier?_

A hand begins to pat her head.

"You can call me Yo." She looks up to see a soft, warm smile. "You're a good girl Lily-chan." The fox looks away in embarrassment. She would ask Yo to stop but... Her head pats feel really good.

* * *

"No, you can't! Jin-kun, please talk some sense into her!" Cries Asuka seething with anger at Black Rabbit's suggestion.

"Black Rabbit, I agree with Asuka-san."

"B-but-" * _Thud_ *

The loud sound makes everyone jump.

 _Thud_ *

It happens again and they realize its coming from the door. Being the closest to it, Jin hurriedly pulls the door open.

"Kasukabe-san! What are you doing up!" Black Rabbit leaps over the conference room table. "You're still injured! You need to...Huh?" She looks all over Yo but can't find a mark. "Y-you're all healed?!"

"Don't try to change the subject Black Rabbit."

"Eh! But Black Rabbit isn't-"

"Its nice to see you're doing better Yo-san." Asuka states, suppressing the harsh tone she used on Black Rabbit. "May I ask what is it you've brought to us?" In Kasukabe's hands is an ornate tray with a covered platter, kettle, and cups.

"The children made cookies and tea for us. They want you to make up as soon as possible."

The two are speechless and cast their eyes down.

"Kasukabe-san, I'd like to ask your opinion on this too." Jin's words pierce the awkward mood as they sit down.

They explain what happened while she was injured. How Leticia appeared and got abducted. How they confronted Laius at Thousand Eyes and learned of his plans to sell her. How he proposed a trade, Black Rabbit for Leticia.

"I came here to make friends. I don't want you to leave."

With three against her Black Rabbit has no option but to concede. It hurts to see a comrade be taken, but it hurts just as bad if one walks away.

"Black Rabbit apologies for such irresponsible thoughts."

"Then," Asuka says after a sigh, "We might as well begin discussing a battle strategy." Yo nods in agreement.

"But how can we fight?"

"I'd assume the only way would be participating in Gift Games and amassing Gifts."

"N-no, that would be too slow." Counters Jin, "We only have a week. What we need is something Laius would want regardless of its cost. Black Rabbit, do you have any ideas?"

Surprise is the only thing in Black Rabbit's mind. The ladies never even met Leticia yet they instantly try to help her? They hadn't given up on her or Leticia. Even Jin is trying his best! Tears threaten to fall from her eyes.

"T-thank you, all of you, Black Rabbit is proud to call you friends!"

"If you want to thank us, do it after we've brought that person back. Is there any way to tempt the other party without using yourself? Or a way to force them into a Gift Game with the Vampire as the bet?"

Black Rabbit holds her chin in thought. No Name's treasury does have some spears, bows, and swords of legendary rarity. They mostly have very specific wielding requirements so they're unusable to most. There are also some Greek artifacts in their possession but Laius is hardly a man of culture. Only one thing comes to mind that can force Laius into a Gift Game but again, there's only one week until Leticia will be sold off...

"Do you know the story where Perseus fights against the Gorgon?"

"The only other time I heard mention of Perseus is as a constellation. Gorgon would be the snake monster, right?"

"Yes! Perseus is the knight who assassinated Medusa. Communities who posses a certain level of strength often prepare Gift Games to promote their legends. If you can fufill certain requirements you can earn the right to challenge them in a Gift Game!"

The faces of the other three lit up.

"Then we can challenge them for Leticia-san!"

Yo nods, "We just need to meet the requirements."

"Y-yes! However, to meet the requirements we need to defeat two trials that usually take years to prepare for..."

A clicking sound comes from the door.

"I'm coming in!" The door flies from it's hinges, barely lands on the table, and slides the food onto Black Rabbit's lap. "Oh, Ochibi-sama, you're here too?"

"Izayoi-kun? And Soma-san? Where have you two been?" Asuka is the only one who is unphased by Izayoi's behavior. Jin and Black Rabbit are equally shocked by the entrance while Yo is busy lamenting the loss of perfectly good cookies and tea.

"What, did you miss us Ojo-sama? We were just out doing some errands."

"Errands...?" What errands could they possibly have?

"Izayoi-san!" Yells an angry Rabbit, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you kick down the door?"

"It was locked."

"Then why don't you wait for someone to open it!?"

"Why'd I do that if I can open it myself?" Izayoi's smirk widens. "Don't sweat the small stuff Black Rabbit. You haven't even seen what we got yet."

Soma walks into the room with a bundle in his arms. The way he holds them, propped against his chest, makes the package look like an enormous rack.

"What is that?" Yo and Asuka stand to take a peek. "This is...!" Yo's eyes widen as she realizes what she's looking at.

"Hmm, so you went out and got these things? Next time you get another interesting idea be sure to report to me first. Are we clear?" A hint of approval in Asuka eyes betray her serious tone. Izayoi lets out a laugh.

"Okay, I'll be sure to invite you next time Ojo-sama."

"As requested, a way to save Leticia." Soma places the package on the door revealing two orbs. One red, the other blue, and both with intricate designs.

"H-how? And in such a short time!?"

"It wasn't that hard." Soma says as he stares at the stones, "Their gimmicks were predictable and Izayoi could beat the bosses quickly."

Black Rabbit is certain it was more difficult then the guys would let on. Even though they're a troublesome bunch, this instant made it all worth while. There is no doubt in her mind that they will free Leticia.

* * *

"Hide," The three boys behind her moved out of sight. Walking into the center of a small courtyard Kasukabe steels herself. Asuka is being the main distraction down below so here she can't let herself fail. She has to make up for what happened at Fores Garo. Utilizing her heightened senses and strength Yo methodically takes down a platoon of invisible footmen.

In order to prepare for this game Jin had Soma tell everyone the legend of Perseus. One detail that returned to her was about Perseus' gear. Hades helmet is what grants them invisibility.

Not sensing anymore men she begins to scavenge helmets from the fallen. Getting Izayoi, Soma, and Jin helmets would let them reach Laius no problem.

"Iza-aah!" Something hard smashed into Kasukabe's stomach sending her into a pillar.

"Oi!" Izayoi's voice is heard but he doesn't come out of hiding.

Quicky regaining herself, Yo switches her tactics. Even if she can't hear or smell him... She begins to emit an extremely high pitched noise. It's a power learned from some dolphins she'd met: echolocation. Sound waves will bounce off her assailants body and alarm her of where he is.

Walls, pillars..-front!

"Eh?" Her fist meets no resistance yet across the courtyard there's a dent in the wall with a man unconscious, his helm slipped off mid flight.

"That's all of them."

"!" Kasukabe whirls around to see Soma standing behind her. When did he get there!?

"Nice job Kasukabe-san," Izayoi and Jin walk out from their hiding places. "Being able to detect the true Helmet of Hades is no small feat. Where'd you learn that trick? Some batty friends of yours?"

"No, I met some dolphins at an aquarium. What do you mean by 'true helmet of hades'?"

"Hm? You had trouble sensing that last guy, right?" He says pointing at the hole in the wall, "His was probably the real deal. The others were probably just replicas."

In the time those two conversed, Jin and Soma collected enough helmets for the four of them.

"We should go." Soma says while giving Yo a helmet. "You can stop any who chase us?"

She nods with a small smile.

"Good luck."

* * *

"Izayoi-san! Soma-san! Jin-bocchan!" Black Rabbit lets out a sigh of relief seeing her friends appear on the top floor of Perseus' castle.

"Pathetic, they can't even stop the likes of you?" Laius says with pure distain under his breath as he looks down on the three boys. From his shoes sprout wings granting him flight, Herme's Boots.

"Cut them some slack," Izayoi shouts back, "They did pretty good under such short notice." Izayoi acknowledged he _might_ have lost had he been alone.

"Regardless of preparedness they shouldn't let trash like you get to this point! Anyway, welcome to the stage atop my White Palace. I'll be your opponent as Game Leader." He frowns realizing it's the first time he has said those words.

"Then why don't you come down here?" The blond taunts, "Ya scared?"

"To share a stage with a No Name is an insult to Perseus. Why would I dirty my hands on you?" Laius grabs the black stone hung around his neck. "Demon Lord Algol, Awaken!"

A beam of black light shoots down from the stars landing in front of Laius. A ghoulish gray skinned woman wearing ragged restraints towers above the No Names.

"A-algol the Celestial Spirit!?"

Algol unleashes a piercing feral scream that can be heard throughout the castle.

"Black Rabbit, dodge!"

"Eh?" The scream disorients Black Rabbit enough that she doesn't notice the black beam fired towards her. A cool breeze is followed by pitch black.

" _Tch_ , I don't have the focus to waste protecting you two..."

"Ochibi-sama, your original plan was to get Leticia-san and fight from there, am I right?"

"...Yes," He squeaks.

"And? What about now?"

"Now... I'll choose to believe in you and Soma-san, so please show me your strength!"

Izayoi's smile can be heared as he laughs, "Guess I have to do my best if Ochibi-sama is watching! Soma, can you watch over these two?"

"Yes"

"U-um, why is it so dark all of the sudden?"

Soma answers Black Rabbit's question,

"We're encased by rock. Does Algol normally have petrification?" Algol never came up in any of his research so he doesn't know if it came from her or Laius.

"My guess is its from her placement in Perseus' constellation." Although no one can see it, Soma nods at Izayoi's assumption.

"Wait, why are surrounded by rock?!"

"Jeez, keep with it Black Rabbit." Izayoi says in a mocking tone, "Algol used a petrification gift." Again Soma nods to no one in particular.

"I thought this would be better than being turned to stone like everyone else. Izayoi, left."

"Roger dodger," A single swing of Izayoi's fist shatters the stone dome and sends Algol reeling backwards.

"What the hell was that?" Demands Laius, and for the first time instead of looking down on them, he looks _at_ the challengers. Upon recognizing Soma as the kid from before something snaps.

"So that's how it is!" Perseus' leader yells, "Shiroyasha helped you but here, against me, you're still just filthy No Names! Algol! Crush them!"

Growing twice her normal size restraints tense and snap. Algol moves to crush the kid who walks towards her with a cocky smirk on his face. Bringing both hands down like a hammer the ground cracks, but Izayoi stands unshaken. Grabbing her arms, he is able to lift the Celestial Spirit and smash her into the ground before throwing her back at Laius.

"You gotta do better than that!"

" _Grk_ , Algol, demonify the castle! Do whatever it takes!"

Unleashing a discordant screech, the arena is dyed in black. Walls appear to pulse with life as hundreds of snakes are summoned from the faux shadows.

"That means I should destroy this castle, right?"

A stamp from The blond's foot is all it takes to vaporize the snakes and force the entire area to collapse onto the top floor. Laius' jaw goes slack seeing the destruction below. His castle was built with the strength of a mountain, so any damage is no small feat.

"Ah! S-soma-san, Black Rabbit can-"

"Stop squirming."

With Jin and Black Rabbit, one in each arm, Soma navigates downward using rubble as footholds.

"Impossible!" Laius cries in disbelief, "I won't lose to you! Algol!"

A black energy gathers around Algol's mouth.

"This again?" Izayoi smirks, and Soma isn't sure how to describe what he sees unfold before him.

Algol unleashes another petrification beam, and Izayoi dodges. Raising his leg high, Izayoi smashes the black energy under his heel.

There is no question that the blond stopped the Gift, but how? It cannot be via reflection or diffusion because nothing else became stone. That would leave absorption except that didn't match the visual effect. Everyone could clearly see the beam snap in two, shattered like glass under Izayoi's foot, somehow being nullified in the process.

"Woah," Jin says under his breath as Soma sets him down along with an awestruck Rabbit.

"How is this possible? Such insane strength and the ability to destroy Gifts? Are you even human!?"

"Well my Gift is Unknown, not that that means anything to you." Getting back into a battle stance he says, "That can't be all, right? That thing is supposed to be as strong as Shiroyasha-sama, so why don't we get serious?"

"Izayoi-san, as regrettable as it may be, Black Rabbit thinks that's it."

"Huh?"

"When Algol came in such a restrained state Black Rabbit should have guessed. Laius-sama has dominated a Celestial Spirit but is too inexperienced to use her full power."

Laius glares daggers at the No Name crew before him. No one could have guessed that the leader of such a prestigious Community, with the backing of a Celestial Spirit, would be forced to silently accept defeat from a No Name Community.

"...So you're only here by the work of your forefathers? That's it? After the advantage they gave you is gone you have no counter strategies?" When no retort comes, Izayoi sighs. "If you lose this game," He announces before Black Rabbit calls an end to the Gift Game, "You know what happends to your Flag, right?"

"What?"

"With your Flag I'll be securing your Name. After I've collected both Name and Flag I'll destroy your Community bit by bit. No matter how much you cry, plead, and beg I won't stop untill you've been crushed into obscurity." Contrary to his despicable words Izayoi delivers them light-heartedly.

"But what about-"

"The vampire? We can easily get her back anytime we want. After that pitiful display you think I'd just give your Flag back?" An evil grin cracks through, "If you don't like that you'll just have to stop me here, Leader-of-Perseus-sama."

"No... I can't lose... I won't lose to you!"

Summoning a weapon to his hand, Laius charges forward with reckless abandon.

* * *

"""We look forward to your work, Maid-san."""

"Eh!?"

"Hm?"

"...What?"

Having just saved Leticia it seems three of the problem children are in sync.

"The two of you should have no issue for we did all the work."

"I was beaten up and petrified." Yo mimics a look of anguish.

"And you don't need to worry Soma, we already decided how ownership is divided. They get two parts while we get three."

"...Okay?" _What is maid?_

"Ah... I do owe you for the kindness you've shown me. Being able to come back home is really a dream come true. If your request is for my to become a maid, I'll gladly accept."

* * *

Three days after the battle with Perseus Black Rabbit calls all members of No Name to the water reservoir.

"Lets begin this welcome party for our new members!"

A chorus of children's voices cheer into the evening sky. Asuka sighs, not at the younger children around them, but at Black Rabbit who is hopping to and fro excitedly.

"I thought I told her to not go overboard."

Yo and Soma silently agree. They all had the chance to see the No Name treasury and it isn't great. Black Rabbit did her best but feeding 100 people isn't cheap. With this latest splurge of three long tables full of food, Soma estimates only a few days of funds left.

"Are you going to eat?" Kasukabe asks Soma with a plate full of food in her hands.

Soma shakes his head no.

"Everyone, please look up!"

Hundreds of eyes look to Black Rabbit, then up to the sky to see bright streaks soar into the horizon.

"It's because of the hard work of our newest members that we see this beautiful show! After the defeat of Perseus they have been removed from Thousand Eyes and that patch in the sky!"

Awe filled eyes surround Soma, but he himself looks distant and distracted. Yo watches as he walks away from the party alone.

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **Kasukabe is probably a god at head pats, just sayin'.**

 **So it's been... What, two years since I uploaded the first chapter? Jeez, I'm getting old. I've had way too many writing assignments as of late so it was a bit of a struggle, but the end is in sight! From now on I'll strive to make 3-5 main chapters per novel along with a few snippets inbetween (the first of which will be up in a week)** **.**

 **Yay! First break from canon albeit a trivial few days and an early Lily intro... Gotta start somewhere I guess.**

 **Jack vile Ripper: Thanks, I'm glad to have satisfied!**

 **Jack vile Ripper: Thanks, I'm- wait a second...**

 **Hoppy854:** **Is this soon enough? About Soma's past- I wasn't planning on having much of Soma's old world play much of a role... But these stupid game devs keep adding more glorious lore and there's no good reason to resist. So to answer your question, yes, Soma's past will come into play.**

 **Also, did the anime call Algol 'Argol'? Because I kept typing Argol...**

 **Oh, I almost forgot. I changed Soma's hair color to be white.**

 **Please review and let me know your thoughts!**

 **~Bai**

 **Edit: _Not even up for 10 min an I made a revision lol. RIP that one person who came with the quickness._**


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